The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has praised a Ghanaian court for sentencing Nigerian national, Chukwudi Nwachukwu, to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for leading a human trafficking syndicate.
Nwachukwu’s conviction by the Achimota Circuit Court follows a months-long investigation involving Ghanaian security agencies and Nigerian authorities, after 10 teenage girls from Nigeria were rescued earlier this year from a trafficking ring operating in Ghana.
The victims, aged between 15 and 18, were rescued through a joint operation between the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Ghana Chapter, led by Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana, and local law enforcement.
Following their rescue, the girls were repatriated to Nigeria through the coordinated efforts of NiDCOM and the Imo State Government. The delegation, led by the Deputy Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu, facilitated their return and reintegration.
In a statement issued by NiDCOM’s Media, Public Relations, and Protocols Unit, the Commission’s Chairperson, Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the ruling as “a victory for justice and a warning to traffickers.”
“Justice has been served at last. This verdict is a clear message that human trafficking will not go unpunished, no matter how long it takes,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
The court also ordered Nwachukwu to pay GH₵15,000 in restitution to each of the ten victims. The traffickers had lured the girls to Ghana under false pretences and forced them into prostitution.
After their rescue, the victims were handed over to Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), where they received rehabilitation and reintegration support before reuniting with their families.
Dabiri-Erewa urged families to remain alert to suspicious movements or offers involving their children, stressing that the fight against human trafficking depends on community awareness and collaboration.
“We must continue to protect our children from predators who exploit their innocence and desperation. The traffickers may run, but they will always be brought to justice,” she said.
India’s inhumane treatment of Nigerian women
Last month, NiDCOM condemned reports alleging the rape, assault, and forced administration of unknown substances on Nigerian girls currently held in deportation camps in New Delhi, India.
Dabiri-Erewa, denounced the reported abuses as “inhumane treatment and grave violations of dignity and fundamental human rights,” according to a statement released by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols.
Disturbing accounts and videos shared by some of the victims allege that the young women are being subjected to sexual violence, physical abuse, intimidation, and exploitation within the camps. NiDCOM described these alleged acts as both “heartbreaking and unacceptable.”
The commission also expressed alarm over claims of corrupt practices involving middlemen and certain groups who are allegedly worsening the plight of Nigerian citizens through exploitation and extortion.
“Nigerian citizens, wherever they are in the world, must not be treated as less than human, nor should their vulnerability be exploited under the guise of immigration procedures,” Dabiri-Erewa stated.
NiDCOM issued a strong call to the Government of India: “We call on the Government of India to urgently investigate these allegations, close down any channels of exploitation, and ensure the safety and dignity of Nigerians within its borders.” The Chairman added that if verified, such actions “not only endanger lives but also undermine justice and due process.”
The commission reassured victims and their families that the reports would not be ignored.
It noted that it is already engaging with the Nigerian High Commission in India, relevant Indian authorities, and international human rights organisations to ascertain the veracity of the claims.
