Nineteen young girls and boys trafficked to Ghana have been rescued and brought home.

Seventeen young Nigerian women allegedly trafficked to Ghana have been rescued and repatriated to the country while five alleged traffickers were arrested in the operation.

Abdur-Rahman Balogun, a spokesperson at the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), in a statement on Sunday, said two young men were also repatriated.

The women are aged 18 to 29-years-old and come from various states, including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Edo, and Ebonyi.

This development brought the number of repatriated women from Ghana to 130 since July.

"They were lured to Ghana under false promise of employment but were instead forced into exploitative situations and bound by an oath of secrecy," Mr Balogun said.

The rescued girls have been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and reintegration.

Collaboration

NIDCOM said the rescue operation was achieved through its partnership with the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police and the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.

Speaking on the rescue operation, the agency's chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, thanked Nigeria's First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, for her support in facilitating the return of the young girls back to the country.

She also commended the roles played by Callistus Elozieuwa, an official of NIDO Ghana, and the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit in bringing the traffickers to justice.

"With NIDO Ghana's assistance, the young man underwent rehabilitation and has now returned to his home state, Anambra, for family reintegration," the statement reads.

"Dabiri-Erewa expressed her determination to the rescue of those still trafficked in conjuction with various stakeholders, noting that many more trafficked Nigerians are still awaiting rescue.

"The operation, conducted in Kpone Katamanso, Tema, resulted in one of the largest single- operation arrests, with five traffickers apprehended."

According to the International Organisation for Migration, many Nigerian women are trafficked out of the country.

Due to limited work opportunities, young women fall victims and become particularly vulnerable to trafficking for sexual exploitation.