In a harrowing yet hopeful turn of events, three Nigerian teenage girls—lured to Ghana with deceitful promises of lucrative jobs—have been rescued and safely repatriated to Nigeria. The rescue was confirmed by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) in a statement released on Friday.
The victims, identified as Divine, Favour, and Bright, aged between 17 and 19, hail from Bayelsa and Ebonyi states. According to the Commission, the girls were tricked by individuals they believed to be their “aunties”—trusted figures who exploited their vulnerability and trafficked them into the sex trade in Ghana.
They were formally received on Thursday at the NiDCOM office in Lagos, where they shared their ordeal. The Commission revealed that the young women were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for profiling, psychosocial support, and reintegration into society. This move underscores the collaborative effort between NiDCOM and NAPTIP in combating transnational human trafficking.
Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols Unit at NiDCOM, said the Commission remains relentless in the fight against modern slavery. “These young girls were deceived by people they trusted. Their story is not just a rescue mission—it’s a wake-up call,” he noted.
Speaking on the rescue, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, issued a passionate call for justice and transparency.
“Human trafficking will persist if traffickers and their agents are not exposed and publicly shamed,” she declared. “We cannot keep shielding perpetrators. This is a global epidemic that thrives in silence.”
Dabiri-Erewa also commended Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO), Ghana, for his instrumental role in the rescue. She further lauded the efforts of the Nigerian Embassy in Ghana and expressed deep gratitude to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for facilitating the transportation of the victims back home.
According to NiDCOM, this rescue is part of a broader trend—over 169 Nigerians have been rescued and repatriated from Ghana in recent months due to similar trafficking cases.
As the international spotlight grows on human trafficking, this latest rescue mission serves as both a sobering reminder of the dangers young Nigerians face and a call to action for stronger cross-border protections and community vigilance.
PIONEER NEWS 