Monday May 19, 2025 |
Thirteen Nigerians, including 12 young girls and a five-year-old boy, have been rescued from human trafficking rings in Ghana and Mali and handed over to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
NiDCOM’s Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Sunday.
The victims were received by the Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in Abuja.
According to the statement, the girls revealed that they were deceived with promises of job opportunities abroad but were later forced into prostitution.
While some were trafficked to Ghana, others ended up in Mali, where they faced sexual exploitation, physical abuse, and severe emotional trauma.
“These young Nigerians were lured under the guise of getting legitimate jobs,” the statement read. “Instead, they found themselves in horrifying conditions, enduring unimaginable abuses.”
Dabiri-Erewa, addressing the victims, assured them of NiDCOM’s commitment to support their reintegration and rehabilitation.
“We will work with relevant state governments to ensure you are properly reunited with your families and provided with the help you need to rebuild your lives,” she said.
She also issued a stern warning to traffickers, urging security agencies to intensify efforts in apprehending and prosecuting those behind these criminal acts.
“The time has come for aggressive prosecution, naming and shaming of these traffickers. Modern-day slavery must be tackled head-on,” she added.
The rescued victims have since been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for profiling and further support services.
The incident is the latest in a growing trend of human trafficking involving vulnerable Nigerians, with authorities reiterating calls for vigilance, community awareness, and stronger cross-border collaboration to tackle the menace.
