The Niger State Police Command has dismantled a 10-member international human trafficking network and rescued 36 victims during a coordinated sting operation in Minna.
Spokesperson for the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, announced the development in a statement on Wednesday. He said the suspects were apprehended on 18 July at approximately 12:30 p.m. following credible intelligence regarding their activities at 123 Quarters in Minna.
The group, which posed as legitimate travel agents, allegedly lured young people from across West Africa into Nigeria under false promises of employment and business ventures.
Those arrested include Sokou Doumbia, Thiarno Balbe, Hashimu Dauda-Kolo, Usman Doumbia, Musa Konate, Lamine Watara, Racine Diouf, Adamu Zarbu, Alhassan Konde, and Dango Aminatu.
Abiodun noted that most of the suspects are nationals of Francophone West African countries and only speak French. The lone Nigerian, Hashimu Dauda-Kolo, was said to have played a key role by offering accommodation and logistics support to the syndicate.
The operation led to the rescue of 36 individuals from Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, all of whom were found without valid identification or travel documents.
“During questioning, the suspects claimed they entered Nigeria for an online business, a statement that was clearly fabricated to conceal their trafficking operation,” Abiodun said.
The police have handed both the suspects and the rescued victims over to Interpol for further investigation and cross-border follow-up.