Nigerian authorities have successfully rescued approximately ten teenage girls, aged 15 to 16, from the clutches of human trafficking and forced prostitution.
These girls were reportedly enticed to Ghana with the allure of a better life, only to be coerced into prostitution. Among the victims, three are siblings. The suspect, a Nigerian man, has been apprehended and is presently under police custody.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, stated that the rescue operation was initiated following a tip-off from NIDO, the representative organization for Nigerians residing in Ghana.
He shared that the victims reported being physically abused, sexually exploited, and forced into unpaid prostitution. Their communication devices were allegedly confiscated, leaving them unable to reach out to their families.
One of the girls revealed, “We are offered to men, but we don’t receive any money; they take everything.”
Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, the leader of NIDO, has called for assistance to ensure the safe repatriation of the girls to Nigeria.
Dabiri-Erewa urged the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons to intervene decisively, describing the situation as “extremely distressing.”