A 15-year-old Nigerian girl has been rescued by the Ghana Police from a trafficking syndicate that allegedly took her from Enugu State to Ghana under false pretence of securing her a cleaning job.
The Western Central Regional Police said the girl was found in Aboso, near Tarkwa, after her father in Nigeria reported her missing.
In a statement on Thursday, the Head of the Public Affairs Unit, Beatrice Turkson, said police operatives arrested a 25-year-old woman, identified as Joy Ogbonna, in connection with the case.
According to the police, investigations showed that a woman known as Golden Blessing, who is currently at large, allegedly lured the teenager from Enugu to Lagos and later handed her over to Ogbonna, who took her to Ghana.
Turkson said the suspect allegedly kept the victim in her residence and prevented her from contacting her family until she managed to reach her father through the help of a passer-by.
She added that a medical report confirmed the girl was in stable condition and receiving appropriate care.
“The suspect, Joy Ogbonna, is in police custody and will soon be arraigned. Efforts are ongoing to track down her accomplice, who is believed to have fled to Nigeria,” Turkson said.
The police commended members of the public for their cooperation and restated their commitment to tackling human trafficking and ensuring the protection of vulnerable persons.
Similar incidents have recently been reported between Nigeria and Ghana.
In August, security operatives in Lagos dismantled a cross-border trafficking network, rescuing eleven victims and arresting four suspects allegedly involved in moving young persons across the border for illegal purposes.
Also, in Enugu, the state police command arrested one suspect and rescued two teenage victims said to have been trafficked from Cross River State.
Authorities in both countries have continued to collaborate to curb cross-border crimes and ensure the safety of citizens.