The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has received 13 Nigerian victims of human trafficking, including 12 young women and a five-year-old boy, who were recently repatriated from Ghana and Mali.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocol at NiDCOM, the victims were received in Abuja by the Commission’s Chairman, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
The victims reportedly disclosed that they were deceived with false promises of employment opportunities and trafficked to Ghana and Mali, where they were forced into prostitution. They also recounted harrowing experiences of sexual abuse, physical violence, and emotional trauma at the hands of their traffickers.
Dabiri-Erewa, while addressing the victims, reassured them of the government’s commitment to their rehabilitation and reintegration. She stated that NiDCOM would work with relevant state governments to ensure the victims receive proper care and support, including psychosocial services and family reunification.
She also emphasized the need for a coordinated crackdown on human trafficking syndicates, calling for the prosecution, public exposure, and naming of traffickers to serve as a deterrent.
The victims have since been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further profiling, documentation, and support services.
