Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has received 12 victims of human trafficking who were successfully rescued from Ghana, marking a significant breakthrough in the ongoing cross-border fight against modern-day slavery. The Lagos Command of the agency announced the development on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, disclosing that the victims were repatriated through a coordinated operation involving the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana and other sister law enforcement agencies across both countries. The rescued persons comprise nine females aged between 17 and 19 years, two males aged 22, and a baby, whose age and gender were not specified. Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were recruited, deceived, and trafficked to Ghana with fake promises of lucrative job opportunities, but were instead forced into prostitution and cybercrime upon arrival in the West African nation.
According to a statement issued by the Lagos Command, the victims were lured by yet-to-be-identified traffickers who exploited their vulnerability and desperation for economic opportunities. The traffickers, operating a sophisticated cross-border network, promised the victims well-paying jobs in Ghana, but upon arrival, their passports were confiscated and they were subjected to sexual exploitation and forced participation in online fraud schemes. The baby found among the victims was likely born to one of the trafficked females during the period of captivity, highlighting the brutal conditions under which the victims were held. The rescue operation underscores the growing collaboration between Nigerian and Ghanaian authorities in combating human trafficking, a crime that has seen a resurgence across West Africa in the wake of economic hardship and porous borders.
Receiving the returnees, the Zonal Commander of NAPTIP Lagos, Mrs. Agboko Comfort, represented by the Head of the International and Intelligence Cooperation Unit, Omolara Ibrahim, urged the victims to see their return as an opportunity to learn from past experiences and rebuild their lives. She expressed deep appreciation to the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana and the Nigerian Immigration Service for their roles in ensuring the proper referral and handover of the returnees to the agency. "She also assured that the Agency would go after their trafficker and prosecute them," the statement added, reflecting NAPTIP's commitment to ensuring that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice. Comfort further stated that the agency would intensify efforts to track, arrest, and dismantle the entire trafficking network responsible for the exploitation of the victims.
In a related development, troops of the Nigerian Army have disrupted trafficking activities in the Ibereko area of Badagry, Lagos State, arresting two suspected traffickers and rescuing two female victims during a routine patrol along the Seme border axis. According to the Army, the suspects were intercepted while conveying the two victims to the Seme border, where they were to be handed over to another contact within the trafficking chain, with plans to move the girls to Ghana. Preliminary investigations revealed that the trio was intercepted while conveying the two victims, aged 25 and 19 years respectively, to the border. The officers reported that a fourth suspect was not apprehended and is presently at large.
The operation is the latest in a series of cross-border interventions aimed at curbing the alarming rate of human trafficking between Nigeria and Ghana, two nations that share a long, porous border and deep historical ties. In February 2026, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) repatriated 13 Nigerians rescued from a human trafficking syndicate in Ghana. The group included 11 adults and two infants aged four weeks and 16 months, many of whom were found in dire health conditions. The recurring nature of these rescues points to a persistent and organised trafficking network that preys on vulnerable citizens with false promises of prosperity abroad.
The rescued victims are currently receiving psychosocial support and medical care from NAPTIP’s network of shelters, where they will also undergo skills acquisition training as part of the agency’s rehabilitation and reintegration programme. The agency has called on members of the public to report any suspicious activities relating to human trafficking, and to always verify job offers from abroad through official government channels before making travel arrangements. The statement added that NAPTIP would spare no effort in ensuring that the masterminds behind the trafficking of the 12 victims are identified, arrested, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com
📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News
🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew
📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments