Twelve victims of human trafficking have been repatriated from Ghana by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) as part of its ongoing trans-border collaboration with state and non-state actors in the fight against human trafficking.
The Lagos State Command of NAPTIP said in a statement on Tuesday that the victims were rescued through coordinated efforts involving the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana and other sister law enforcement agencies.
The returnees comprised nine females aged between 17 and 19, two 22-year-old males, and a baby.
According to the agency, preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were recruited, deceived and trafficked to Ghana with false promises of lucrative jobs.
However, they were allegedly forced into prostitution and cybercrime activities after arriving in Ghana.
Receiving the returnees, the Zonal Commander of NAPTIP Lagos, Mrs Agboko Comfort, who was represented by the Head of the International and Intelligence Cooperation Unit, Omolara Ibrahim, urged the victims to see their return as an opportunity to rebuild their lives.
She commended partner agencies for their roles in the operation, saying that they ensured “the proper referral/handover of the returnees to the agency.”
She assured that the agency would intensify efforts to track down and prosecute those behind the trafficking network.
GIK/APA