Ghana and Nigeria have taken a significant step in the fight against human trafficking by reaffirming their commitment to intensify joint efforts in combating this transnational crime.
A high-level bilateral meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria, on Friday, November 7, 2025, brought together senior officials from law enforcement, immigration, intelligence, and diplomatic institutions from both countries.
The meeting, co-chaired by Commissioner Of Police (COP) Lydia Yaako Donkor, Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, and Deputy Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police Force, Sadiq I. Abubakar, focused on emerging forms of human trafficking and their growing link with cyber-related crimes.
The discussions highlighted the need for stronger regional cooperation to address the increasing number of victims in the sub-region.
Key outcomes of the meeting include the establishment of a Joint Task Force (JTF) to handle cross-border trafficking cases, appointment of focal officers for real-time information exchange, and development of standard protocols for victim repatriation and referral.
The two countries also resolved to launch joint awareness campaigns targeting youth and border communities and convene a high-level meeting of West African Police Chiefs to harmonize regional strategies against trafficking.
COP Donkor emphasized Ghana’s commitment to intensifying intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement actions, while DIG Abubakar commended Ghana’s CID Director-General for her proactive initiative in proposing the meeting.
The meeting concluded with the signing of a communiqué reaffirming the shared commitment of Ghana and Nigeria to dismantle human trafficking networks, protect victims, and sustain bilateral dialogue under Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) and INTERPOL frameworks.
