By FLORENCE ONUEGBU

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), on Friday received rescued 231 Nigerians trafficked to Ghana.

NIDCOM handed the rescued citizens to NAPTIP after the reception.

At the occasion at the Lagos Office of NAPTIP, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NIDCOM, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said that the victims were trafficked to Ghana to engage in cybercrime.

Dabiri-Erewa said that 27 of the 231 persons rescued were suspected traffickers, while 12 of the victims were below the age of 18 years.

She said that only four females were among the rescued persons.

She also said that, of the 231 Nigerians rescued, Edo had the highest number of the victims.

“From the numbers brought back, 76 are from Edo State, Anambra has six, Delta, 17; Bayelsa, 13; Imo, 19; Enugu, 12; Ebonyi, eight; Cross River seven; Abia, nine; Niger, four; Akwa Ibom, three; Kogi, six; Ondo, one; and Osun, one.

“We appeal to state governors to please work with NAPTIP to come to the aid of these victims, twelve of them are under the age of 18,” the chairman said.

She urged the victims not to be ashamed of their situation, but be happy that they had been rescued.

“I want to advise you, my dear brothers and few sisters. There is nothing out there. Some of the places they are telling you to go, Nigeria is better than those places.

“You know that, you know your experience from where you are coming from.

“We are receiving you on behalf of President Bola Tinubu. The President cares about you and every other Nigerian.

“As youths, you should hold your heads up and become whatever you want to be. Those of you who want to return to school will go back, and for those who want to learn a trade, we will help you through your state governments,” Dabiri-Erewa said.

She thanked all stakeholders involved in the return of the victims, including Chief Calistus Elozieuwa, the Chairman, Nigeria in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO); Nigeria High Commission in Ghana, Wema Bank, Airtel Nigeria, and the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu.

Dabiri-Erewa said that traffickers should be named and shamed, adding that they should be punished for their evil act.

The Lagos Zonal Commandant of NAPTIP, Comfort Agboko, said the victims would be profiled and the suspects would be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

Agboko said that traffickers used different tactics to lure their victims.

According to her, one of the tactics is to tell the victims not to tell anyone about their movements.

She urged parents and guardians to be alive to the responsibility of bringing up their children in the right way.

“They have failed in their responsibilities. In the olden days, parents ensured that they trained their children in godly way so that they would not be easily enticed.

“Nowadays, some parents demand too much from the youth. These are some of the things that make these youths to fall into the hands of traffickers,” Agboko said.

Staff Officer Dominic Mensah, who is in charge of Human trafficking at Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Ghana, said that the agency launched an operation to rescue the victims following a tip-off about an estate where the victims were kept.

Mensah said that both underage, youths and adults were rescued as well as suspected traffickers who took the victims there.

He said that EOCO would have tried the suspects in Ghana, but could not due to health issues of some of them.

“We decided to bring them back to Nigeria, because some of them were complaining of illnesses. To avoid crisis, Ghana Government decided to bring them to Nigeria.

“Youths should stop being deceived, money is not flowing on Ghana’s road.

“Always let your parents know who you are relating with, to avoid being trafficked,” Mensah advised. (NAN)