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ABUJA, Nigeria - The federal government has praised the Ghanaian authorities for rescuing at least 219 young Nigerians who were trafficked to the country and forced into cybercrime activities.
The minister of state for foreign affairs,Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made this announcement in a statement on Thursday in Abuja. She spoke after visiting the Economic and Organized Crimes Office (EOCO) in Accra, Ghana, where the trafficking victims were being held.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to offering young people technical education and skills to combat the rising unemployment rates.
The visit coincided with the inauguration of ECOWAS's 50th anniversary and the extraordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers regarding the withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from the organization.
She commended EOCO's executive director, Bashiru Dapilah, for the treatment provided to the victims.
In her remarks, she referred to trafficking as modern slavery and a gross violation of human rights, labeling it as an exploitation of innocent youth, noting its cruelty and inhumanity.
The minister advised Nigerian youths to be wary of individuals promising appealing job offers abroad, warning that such promises might be traps leading to enslavement.
She mentioned that the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana had informed her about the incident, revealing how the victims suffered inhuman treatment at the hands of their captors before a sting operation uncovered the criminal gang's activities.
"Before their rescue, these young men were confined to approximately 25 rooms within an estate where they were forced to engage in cybercrimes.
At the time of their arrest, many had been held in cramped spaces with computers for weeks without any exposure to sunlight, making it difficult for their eyes to adjust when taken outside.
"Some had endured severe abuse, with clear lacerations visible on their bodies due to beatings from their captors, and one individual even had his legs broken for failing to hand over all the money made from his cybercrime," stated Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
She encouraged the rescued victims to consider themselves fortunate to have been freed, noting that many have died under similar circumstances while others languish in jails worldwide.
She urged them to utilize this opportunity granted by God to participate in some of the federal government's intervention programs.
She quoted Dapilah as saying that his team acted on intelligence to accomplish this rescue, adding, "We are not viewing this solely as a Nigerian crime as there are Ghanaian accomplices involved. The owner of the estate where they were held has been arrested and will face prosecution. We require cooperation between our two nations. Although the crime occurred in Ghana, we are aware that individuals in Nigeria were behind it.
"These victims have been saved, but the next step is to apprehend the offenders. As you return home, relay the message to our counterparts in Nigeria that we will need joint efforts to capture the perpetrators," he stated.
The head of Ghana's anti-corruption agency praised the majority of Nigerians in the country for being law-abiding citizens and significantly contributing to Ghana's development and economy.
He also expressed gratitude to the Nigerian High Commission for their close collaboration with the agency, recognizing Chargé D’Affaires Dayo Adeoye for his efforts.
Adeoye mentioned that around 3 million Nigerians live in Ghana and are thriving, aiding in the economic growth of their host nation.
He emphasized the importance of sufficient awareness campaigns against trafficking to address the issue involving Nigerians detected in Ghana.
He noted that no fewer than 231 of them were expected to arrive in Lagos on Friday, April 25, to be handed over to government officials.
