In a poignant and deeply troubling turn of events, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has received 13 Nigerian nationals—12 young girls and a five-year-old boy—rescued from the clutches of human traffickers in Ghana and Mali.
The victims, hailing from states such as Cross River, Benue, Imo, Oyo, and Adamawa, had been lured by the age-old promise of greener pastures abroad—enticed by fraudulent job offers that turned out to be nothing more than bait for exploitation. Upon arrival in these foreign lands, they were subjected to harrowing conditions and forced into prostitution.
Speaking during the official handover of the rescued individuals to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Chairperson/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, condemned the activities of human traffickers in the strongest terms. She called for a swift and decisive crackdown on those behind these heinous acts, emphasizing that justice must be served not only to deter future trafficking but to give closure to the survivors.
“These are innocent souls who had dreams and ambitions,” she said. “It is heartbreaking that criminal syndicates continue to exploit the hopes of our young people. The traffickers must be fished out and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Dabiri-Erewa further reiterated NiDCOM's unwavering commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad and working in synergy with sister agencies like NAPTIP to ensure rescued victims are given the psychological, medical, and social rehabilitation they need to reintegrate into society.
As the young survivors begin the long road to recovery, this incident underscores the urgent need for sustained public awareness, community vigilance, and international cooperation to combat the menace of human trafficking.
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