Ghana Hands Over 231 Rescued Nigerian Victims Of Human Trafficking And Cybercrime.
The Ghanaian government has handed over 231 Nigerians, rescued from an alleged human trafficking and cybercrime syndicate, to Nigerian authorities.
At the handover ceremony held in Lagos on Friday, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, confirmed that the victims, largely comprising young men and women, had been trafficked into Ghana under false pretences and forced into cyber fraud activities.
Dabiri-Erewa highlighted the urgent need for state governments to support the victims upon their return. “The largest number from this particular group is from Edo State, with 76 individuals. Others hail from states such as Anambra (6), Delta (17), Bayelsa (13), Imo (19), Enugu (12), Ebonyi (8), Cross River (7), Abia (9), Niger (4), Akwa Ibom (3), Kogi (6), Ondo (1), and Osun (1). We appeal to state governors to collaborate with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to assist these victims, noting that 12 of them are minors,” she said.
She further called for greater public awareness, stricter enforcement, and enhanced regional cooperation, stressing that traffickers were exploiting the ECOWAS protocol on free movement.
“We must name and shame the traffickers. These are evil people. Had these young people known the reality of what awaited them, many would not have embarked on the journey. We need massive awareness campaigns, and the media must help us spread the message,” she urged.
Comfort Agboko, Zonal Coordinator of NAPTIP in Lagos, revealed that some of the rescued individuals were also trafficked for the purpose of internet fraud. She stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had been contacted and that suspects identified among the group would be handed over after internal investigations.
Agboko assured that immediate medical attention would be provided to the victims, alongside comprehensive profiling and rehabilitation support to aid their reintegration.
Providing insight into the rescue operation, Dominic Mensah, Staff Officer at Ghana’s Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), explained that an informant had alerted authorities to suspicious activities in a section of an estate comprising around 50 houses. Surveillance operations confirmed that 26 houses were being used for cybercrime by suspected Nigerian traffickers.
“We launched a simultaneous raid, codenamed Operation Rescue Shield, on all 26 houses at 3:30 a.m., with the support of the Ghana Police Service and National Security. We arrested 233 individuals. Following a screening process, we identified the victims and suspects, and released those not connected to the crimes,” Mensah said.
He disclosed that while some of the victims had been held captive for up to five years, others had arrived only days before the raid.
