Following their rescue from human trafficking in Ghana, 66 Nigerians have returned home, reflecting the ongoing fight against human exploitation.
66 trafficked Nigerians have been successfully returned from Ghana with the assistance of the Seme Area Command of Nigeria’s Immigration Service (NIS).
On Saturday around 4:00 p.m., a group comprising of seven young men and 59 women (including children) reached Seme-Krake Joint Border Post.
The Seme command’s Area Controller, Abdullahi Adamu, clarified that the rescue mission was accomplished through cooperative work with the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana.
Adamu acknowledged that our attaché in Ghana and the High Commissioner provided support for our mission, allowing us to capture these traffickers and repatriate their victims. The rescued individuals will be transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) so that they can receive assistance with reintegrating into society.
Adamu highlighted the continuous collaboration between Ghana’s government and NIS to combat human trafficking. He commended Kemi Nana, the Comptroller-General of NIS, for her dedication in safeguarding at-risk migrants and preventing human trafficking.
The Interpol Unit of Ghana was able to rescue the victims thanks to collaboration between Detective Chief Inspector Kpeli Kofi and the anti-human trafficking unit. According to Inspector Mutilda Dellir from the Ghana Police, a majority of those rescued had been deceived into believing that they would find profitable prospects in Ghana.
Uche John from Port Harcourt was one of the rescued individuals. Her story included being promised a better life in Ghana, only to be forced into prostitution. She expressed relief at having returned to Nigeria and shared valuable lessons learned from her experience.
The NIS is making extensive efforts to combat human trafficking, which include a recent rescue mission. Last month, the Seme Area Command retrieved five victims of trafficking from Côte d’Ivoire while saving another 58 Nigerian women and children trafficked into Ghana following an announcement by the Federal Government. In total, over 105 individuals have been saved in recent months as part of these collective endeavours.
