The Nigeria Police Force has rescued a 21-year-old woman who was allegedly trafficked to Mali and forced into prostitution, while arresting three suspected members of an international human trafficking syndicate.
The operation was carried out by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad of the Force Intelligence Department following an intelligence-led investigation into the activities of the trafficking network.
Speaking during a press briefing, ACP Victor Ogbeide Godfrey, who coordinated the operation, said the suspects were arrested between October 1 and 27, 2026.
The suspects were identified as Daniel Aondofa (26), Orgba Solomon (28), also known as Terry, and ThankGod Ocho (25), all from Benue State. Police identified Solomon as the alleged leader of the trafficking ring.
According to investigators, the victim, Patience Darius, a native of Akwanga in Nasarawa State, was allegedly deceived with promises of lucrative employment opportunities abroad. She was reportedly taken to Lagos before being moved through illegal border routes into the Benin Republic and later transported to Mali.
Police said the victim’s phone and travel documents were confiscated, cutting off communication with her family and friends during the journey.
Upon arriving in Mali, she was allegedly handed over to two individuals identified as Mohammed and Marian, also known as Riana, before being sold for 420,000 CFA francs, estimated at about N770,000.
In her statement to investigators, Darius alleged that she was subjected to abuse after refusing to engage in prostitution. She claimed she was physically assaulted and coerced into compliance before being forced into commercial sex work.
The investigation began after the victim’s sister reported her disappearance to the police. Detectives subsequently deployed intelligence-gathering tools to trace the activities of the suspected trafficking network.
Police said Solomon was arrested after returning to Nigeria, where he allegedly intended to recruit additional women for trafficking to Mali and Senegal. The other suspects were later apprehended in related operations.
According to the Force, the suspects provided information that aided the rescue of the victim from Mali.
The police also disclosed that Darius told investigators that approximately 42 Nigerian women were being held in a camp located within a gold-mining settlement in Mali, where they were allegedly subjected to exploitation and forced prostitution under strict supervision.
Following her rescue and return to Nigeria, the victim received medical attention at a police clinic.
The Force said investigations are continuing, with efforts underway to arrest other members of the syndicate and secure the rescue of additional victims believed to be trapped within the trafficking network.