The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has commended the Achimota Circuit Court in Ghana for sentencing Nigerian human trafficking ring leader, Chukwudi Nwachukwu, to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour.
The conviction follows months of extensive investigations and surveillance by security agencies and partners.
The case gained international attention earlier this year when 10 young Nigerian girls, aged between 15 and 18, were rescued from a human trafficking syndicate in Ghana.
The rescue was a collaborative effort involving the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Ghana Chapter, led by Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana, and Ghanaian security authorities.
Following their rescue, the girls were safely repatriated to Nigeria through the coordinated intervention of NiDCOM, in partnership with the Imo State Government delegation led by the Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly, Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu, representing the Nwangele Constituency.
In a statement issued by Gabriel Odu of NiDCOM’s Media, Public Relations, and Protocols Unit, Dr. Dabiri-Erewa described the court’s 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,” she said.
The court also ordered the convict to pay GH₵15,000 in restitution to each of the ten victims.
The trafficking syndicate had lured and transported the young girls to Ghana, where they were coerced into prostitution.
After their rescue, the victims were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), where they received rehabilitation, reintegration support, and have since been reunited with their families.
Dr. Dabiri-Erewa urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and attentive to the movements and associations of their wards, stressing that the fight against human trafficking requires collective vigilance and cooperation.
“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 added.