Human Trafficking: Heartbreaking Story of 3 Nigerian Girls Rescued From Ghana

“We Just Wanted to Work”: The Heartbreaking Story of Nigerian Girls Rescued from Human Trafficking in Ghana

In a quiet office in Lagos, three teenage girls, Divine, Favour, and Bright, sat, wide-eyed and weary. Only days before, they were caught in a terrifying web of human trafficking in Ghana. Now, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), NAPTIP, and other key allies, they’ve been rescued, repatriated, and are back in Nigeria.

The girls, aged between 17 and 19, come from Bayelsa and Ebonyi states. Their journey began with promises. Promises of work. Promises of a better life. Promises made by people they trusted, women they called “Auntie”. What they didn’t know was that their “Aunties” were trafficking them into sexual exploitation under the guise of helping them find decent jobs and a better life in Ghana.

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, confirmed their return on Thursday, 18 April 2025. She disclosed that over 200 Nigerians have now been rescued from similar trafficking situations in Ghana over the last few months.

But for every girl rescued, countless others remain trapped. And that’s the harsh truth.

“We must start naming and shaming traffickers,” Dabiri-Erewa urged. “This won’t stop unless communities stop shielding perpetrators, even when they are family.”

After arriving in Lagos, the girls were brought to NiDCOM’s office before being handed over to NAPTIP for proper profiling and reintegration. As with past cases, Dabiri-Erewa personally covered their accommodation and transportation back to their home states.

PRESS RELEASE

HUMAN TRAFFICKING: THREE MORE GIRLS RESCUED FROM GHANA, ABOUT 200 RESCUED SO FAR

Lagos, April 18, 2025:
Three more girls trafficked to Ghana returned home Thursday as Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) put the… pic.twitter.com/jl6nEnEmyl

— Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (@nidcom_gov) April 18, 2025

 NiDCOM worked hand in hand with the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana, NAPTIP, the Ghanaian security agencies, and Chief Callistus Elozieuwa of NIDO Ghana, who has been consistently active in the fight against human trafficking.

Nigeria’s First Lady, Her Excellency Oluremi Tinubu (MON), also played a vital role, generously assisting with the return logistics.

But beyond the headlines, Divine, Favour, and Bright are only a few of the many Nigerian youths lured into modern-day slavery. Human trafficking is not some distant problem. It’s here. It’s real. And it thrives in silence. More can and needs to be done to safeguard the safety of lives and prevent human trafficking.