Ghana Rescues 231 Nigerian Youths from Cybercrime Exploitation

A total of 231 Nigerian youths, including both boys and girls, have safely returned home after being trafficked to Ghana. The repatriation followed a coordinated rescue and repatriation effort led by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The operation, supported by Wema Bank, the Office of the First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana, successfully brought the victims, aged between 15 and 38 years, back to Nigeria. These individuals had been subjected to deplorable conditions, many being coerced into cybercrime activities and enduring confinement and abuse.

In a statement issued on X.com, NiDCOM revealed that the intervention was a result of months of engagement initiated by the Nigerian government, in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, and various local organizations, culminating in an agreement with Ghanaian authorities for their release.

The returnees came from various Nigerian states, including Edo, Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Cross River, Abia, Niger, Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Ondo, and Osun.

Upon arrival in Nigeria, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) profiled the returnees and coordinated with state governments to facilitate their rehabilitation, reintegration, and empowerment.

NiDCOM also commended the Ghanaian Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for their effective handling of the case and for providing proper care to the Nigerian victims while they were in custody.

This operation followed the recent discovery of a human trafficking ring operating in Accra, where over 200 Nigerian youths were discovered being exploited for cybercrime, many suffering from harsh conditions and physical abuse. During her visit to the EOCO in Ghana, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, thanked Ghanaian authorities for their efforts and warned Nigerian youths to be cautious of deceptive job offers that may be fronts for trafficking schemes.