Crime
NIDCOM Gets 17 Trafficked Girls Rescued, 5 Traffickers Arrested in Ghana
NIDCOM Gets 17 Trafficked Girls Rescued, 5 Traffickers Arrested in Ghana
By: Michael Mike
Seventeen young Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana have been rescued and repatriated back to the country while five traffickers were equally arrested.
This latest rescue operation brought to 130 girls repatriated back to Nigeria from Ghana alone since July 2024.
According to a statement signed on Sunday by the Director, Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM). Abdur-Rahman Balogun, this was sequel to the combined and coordinated efforts of the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police, Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Ghana, and the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.
Speaking on this latest efforts, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO NiDCOM, expressed her gratitude to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her support in facilitating the safe return of the young girls back to the country.
She also commended the vital roles played by the BOT Chairman of NIDO Ghana, Chief Callistus Elozieuwa,, and the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit in bringing the traffickers to justice.
She reiterated NiDCOM’s commitment to protecting Nigerians in the diaspora under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which gave priority to combating human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of Nigerian citizens at home and in the Diaspora.
Balogun, in the statement, stated that the rescued young girls, ages 18 to 29 years, come from various states, including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Edo, and Ebonyi.
He said they were lured to Ghana under false promises of employment but were instead forced into exploitative situations and bound by an oath of secrecy.
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.
Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Mr. Williams Ayaregah praised NiDCOM’s efforts under Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa’s leadership.
He said: “More than ever, traffickers must realise that Ghana is no longer a safe haven.”
The operation, conducted in Kpone Katamanso, Tema, resulted in one of the largest single- operation arrests, with five traffickers apprehended.
Mr. Akinboye Akinsola, representing NiDCOM, played a critical role in escorting the rescued women back to Nigeria, where they were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and reintegration.
Chief Callistus Elozieuwa added that two young men were also repatriated, including one who was previously detained in Ghanaian prison.
With NIDO Ghana’s assistance, the young man underwent rehabilitation and has now returned to his home state, Anambra, for family reintegration.
This cross-national effort underscores NiDCOM’s dedication to eradicating human trafficking and highlights the importance of international collaboration to protect Nigerians abroad.
NIDCOM Gets 17 Trafficked Girls Rescued, 5 Traffickers Arrested in Ghana
Crime
Troops neutralise two terrorists, recover arms in Zamfara
Troops neutralise two terrorists, recover arms in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Nigerian Army have neutralised two suspected terrorists during a fighting patrol in Zamfara State.
Security sources said the operation was conducted by troops of 1 Brigade Quick Reaction Force (QRF) from Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bagega in the early hours of May 4.

The troops, while on patrol, advanced through Maikwanuga village in Talata Mafara Local Government Area, extending operations to Aljumma, Gidan Dawa, Magami Didi, and Tungar Magaji villages in Maradun Local Government Area.
During the operation, the troops made contact with suspected terrorists at Tungar Magaji village, where a firefight ensued.

“In the course of the engagement, two terrorists were neutralised, while others fled with possible gunshot wounds,” the source said.
Items recovered from the scene include one AK-47 rifle, 30 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and a motorcycle.

The troops are currently exploiting the general area to track down the fleeing suspects and prevent further threats in the region.
Troops neutralise two terrorists, recover arms in Zamfara
Crime
Troops arrest five suspects in raid on criminal hideout in Imo
Troops arrest five suspects in raid on criminal hideout in Imo
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of 34 Artillery Brigade, operating from Forward Operating Base (FOB) Oguta, in collaboration with a local vigilante group, have raided a suspected cultist hideout in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
Security sources said the operation, conducted at about 3:34 p.m. on May 4, led to the arrest of five suspects allegedly linked to criminal activities in the area.
The sources noted that the group was believed to be responsible for a series of crimes within the general area.
One of the suspects has reportedly volunteered to lead troops to a suspected armoury located at Osomoto Valley in the same local government area.
The suspects are currently in custody, while further investigations and follow-up operations are ongoing.
Troops arrest five suspects in raid on criminal hideout in Imo
Crime
Three Killed in Renewed Violence between Fulani and Berom militia in Plateau as Troops Intensify Operations Amid Tit-for-Tat Attacks
Three Killed in Renewed Violence between Fulani and Berom militia in Plateau as Troops Intensify Operations Amid Tit-for-Tat Attacks
By Zagazola Makama
Three civilians have been killed in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State in a renewed outbreak of violence amid ongoing tit-for-tat attacks linked to longstanding communal tensions between groups in parts of the state.
Security sources said the incident occurred in the night of May 3 at about 8:55 p.m. when suspected fulani armed elements ambushed civilians travelling on motorcycles along a rural route near Fan Loo. The victims were reportedly intercepted and shot before the attackers fled into nearby bushes.
Troops of Sector 4 under Operation Safe Haven (OPEP) were immediately alerted and deployed to the scene. However, on arrival, they met the aftermath of the attack, with three persons confirmed dead.
The bodies were evacuated after preliminary assessment, while security forces launched follow-up operations in surrounding communities to track the fleeing attackers.
According to security sources, the incident is believed to be part of a wider pattern of tit-for-tat violence in parts of Barkin Ladi and adjoining Local Government Areas, where communities have repeatedly experienced cycles of attacks and reprisal killings linked to longstanding communal tensions and armed group activities.
The latest attack comes barely days after a series of violent incidents in Plateau State, including kidnappings, killings, and armed confrontations between security forces and armed groups in Mangu, Bokkos, and Barkin Ladi axis. Within the week, a Paster was killed, his wife and daughter in response to an earlier attack on Fulani and rustling of livestock.
In Barkin Ladi, a Fulani community leader, Alhaji Lawal Abubakar, was recently abducted from his residence in Kara village, prompting search operations by troops. In Bokkos, Mr. Danlami Luka was killed in Kaban village in an attack that also heightened tensions in surrounding settlements.
In Mangu Local Government Area, troops have been engaged in multiple operations following earlier unrest, including a deadly confrontation in Sabon Gari community during an attempt to prevent escalation of youth mobilisation linked to a prior killing at a mining site.
That incident, according to security sources, escalated rapidly when troops came under fire while attempting to restore order, The locals, attacked the Nigerian Army troops killing a senior officer in the process. The troops responded in self defense leading to the neutralisation of two attackers and recovery of weapons. The situation later triggered further unrest and retaliatory attacks in parts of the LGA, with the youths blocking the roads and attacking people identified as Hausa or Muslims.
Troops later conducted operation within same communities where they recovered additional weapons and ammunition from locals.
Across the state, troops of Operation Enduring Peace have maintained an intensified operational posture, conducting patrols, cordon-and-search missions, arrests of suspected criminals, and show-of-force operations aimed at stabilising volatile communities.
In Bassa Local Government Area, a suspected vandal was recently arrested while attempting to steal copper cables, while in Jos East and Jos South, troops intervened in disputes involving farmland destruction and grazing conflicts to prevent escalation into wider violence.
Despite these interventions, Plateau State continues to experience violence characterised by attacks, reprisals, and counter-operations, particularly in rural communities where grievances are often quickly transformed into armed confrontations.
The Fan Loo killings, fit into this expanding trend, where attacks on civilians frequently trigger retaliatory tensions, further complicating security responses and increasing the risk of escalation. Youths and religious leaders have also continued to make inflammatory remarks aimed at pitching locals against non indigenes.
Three Killed in Renewed Violence between Fulani and Berom militia in Plateau as Troops Intensify Operations Amid Tit-for-Tat Attacks
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