Nigerian High Commission to storm Kumasi over Ultimate FM prostitution exposé

The Head of Consular Unit of the Nigerian High Commission to Ghana Obed Aloko has disclosed the commission’s intention of storming the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi on Tuesday June 20, 2017 to assess the prostitution syndicate exposé uncovered by Ultimate FM.

Ultimate News investigations uncovered a Ghanaian-Nigerian syndicate that lures girls from Nigeria into prostitution under the pretext of securing them jobs in Ghana.

They are threatened, oppressed and forced to offer sex for money. Money goes to overlords whom they call madams. The girls end up in brothels in Asafo a suburb of Kumasi.

Mr Aloko indicated that identity checks will be conducted to cross check if the girls are Nigerians adding that they will collaborate with Ghanaian immigration, police to repatriate these girls.

‘Yes we have a procedure at the high commission, this morning I will brief my ambassador in Nigeria about the situation, what I have heard from your station –Ultimate FM, after that we will make arrangements and immediately come to Kumasi, and part of the procedure we do at the high commission is to interview these girls and to ascertain to see if they are Nigerians. If its possible Tuesday June 20, or Wednesday June 21, 2017 we will come to Kumasi, to assess this problem,’ he assured.

Speaking on Ultimate Breakfast show hosted by Lantam Papanko, the Head of Consular Unit of the Nigerian High Commission to Ghana indicated his readiness to liaise with Ultimate FM, police and other stakeholders to ensure that syndicates involved in similar human trafficking are arrested.

‘We would like to assure that we are ready to work with stakeholders and Ultimate FM to bring this nefarious activities of human trafficking to an end,’ he pledged.

He indicated that the commission has received two reports of Nigerians involved in prostitution ever since he assumed office in January 2017 saying they are working assiduously to repatriate the girls involved.

Mr Aloko wondered why these syndicates which engage in human trafficking are not arrested and prosecuted.

‘…The issue of concern here is not these girls being brought, but the syndicate groups, because if they are not arrested, they will continue to bring in girls from Nigeria and other countries to Accra, so the next issue of concern is, how the authorities both in Ghana and Nigeria can synergise, collaborate to apprehend these syndicate groups otherwise called Madams, this is our ultimate concern… These syndicates are highly connected, its difficult to track them down, but its a collective responsibility that needs to be tackled to track them,’ he suggested.

The Head of Consular Unit of the Nigerian High Commission to Ghana bemoaned Nigerian’s image being dented by these human trafficking syndicates.

He expressed appreciation to Ultimate FM for the investigative piece.