The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has successfully received another group of 13 Nigerian trafficking victims — 12 young women and a five-year-old boy — who were rescued from Ghana and Mali in a continued effort to combat human trafficking and modern-day slavery.
According to the Commission, the victims repatriated from Ghana were aged between 16 and 30 years, while the two women rescued from Mali were aged 27 and 35. The reception took place at NIDCOM’s Liaison Office in Lagos.
Breakdown of the rescued victims from Ghana revealed that four hailed from Cross River State, another four from Benue State, with one each from Imo and Oyo States. The two victims from Mali were from Adamawa State.
Receiving the Ghana returnees on behalf of Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM, Mr. Dipo Odebowale, Head of the Lagos Liaison Office, disclosed that the young women recounted harrowing tales of being deceived with promises of job opportunities in Ghana, only to be forced into prostitution.
Similarly, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media and Public Relations for NIDCOM, received the victims from Mali, who shared distressing experiences of sexual abuse, physical violence, and emotional trauma at the hands of human traffickers.
In her reaction, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to providing logistics support and ensuring the safe reunification of the victims with their families. She also pledged to collaborate with state governments for the proper rehabilitation and reintegration of the survivors.
Dabiri-Erewa made a renewed call for a nationwide crackdown on human traffickers and their agents, advocating for a “name and shame” strategy after lawful prosecution to deter perpetrators and curb the menace of human trafficking.
The victims have since been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further profiling, documentation, and rehabilitation.
