By Enyichukwu Enemanna
At least 10 Nigerian teenage girls said to have been lured into prostitution in the neighbouring Ghana have been rescued, the Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa has announced.
The girls under 18 were rescued by the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), an umbrella association for Nigerians living in Ghana, the NIDCOM boss stated.
A viral video of the teenage girls after they were rescued has since emerged.
The were lured by a man whose identity has not been disclosed. An official of NIDO was heard saying, “We just rescued all these ones from one single person, innocent Nigerian children that were brought here to do what they wouldn’t have wished do to.
“They are helpless. They picked them and send them to do prostitution and they would be collecting money from these innocent children.”
The NIDCOM chief, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), described the development as heartbreaking and asked the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to take over the matter.
“These are young girls trafficked to Ghana for prostitution,” she quoted a viral video showing the girls. “We thank Chief Callistus, Chairman, NIDO Ghana, for ensuring the arrest of the evil perpetrator. I am sure NAPTIP will follow up, very heartbreaking.”
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In a follow-up post, Dabiri-Erewa said another set of girls have been rescued. “The culprit will be charged to court in Ghana next week and arrangements being made to bring the rescued girls back to Nigeria,” she wrote, insisting that traffickers must be named and shamed.
Heritage Times HT reports that hundreds of Nigerian girls in an attempt to flee hunger and insecurity are easily lured by traffickers posing as employment agents overseas.
A “japa” syndrome, whereby young people are leaving the oil-rich African nation in droves have seen several hundreds attempt to access Europe through irregular routes.
They are transported by road from Lagos, through the desert to Libya, with the promise of securing decent means of livelihood.
Despite the risks associated with such movements, more people attempt to leave the country in search of greener pasture.
