The Nigeria Police Force says it has dismantled a human trafficking ring operating across the Federal Capital Territory and nearby communities, rescuing 30 Malian nationals allegedly held under exploitative conditions in Nasarawa State.
According to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, operatives uncovered the activities of the syndicate in residential buildings located in Mararaba and Karu, where the victims were reportedly confined.
Police authorities said 13 suspects connected to the network were apprehended during the operation.
Those arrested include Abdul Ngaki, said to be the leader of the syndicate, alongside Fatimah Kulibali, Ahmad Kasango, Sidibe Musa, Muhammad Dembele, Saidu Traore, Ali Koulibaly, Abdul Ngeki, Ahmed Sirma, Laya Bando, Aisha Dembele, Abi Togo and Awa Tesure.
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According to the police, investigations began after intelligence reports pointed to the suspicious disappearance of several foreign nationals in Nigeria.
Placid said preliminary findings showed that the syndicate allegedly lured vulnerable youths from countries such as Mali and Gabon with promises of jobs in Nigeria and opportunities to migrate to Europe.
“Victims were induced to pay processing and transportation fees before being conveyed to residential locations in Mararaba and Karu, Nasarawa State, where they were held under exploitative and restrictive conditions,” he said.
The police spokesperson added that victims who could no longer provide money were allegedly forced into fake abduction schemes coordinated by the suspects.
According to him, the trafficked persons were made to contact their families and falsely claim they had been kidnapped so that ransom payments could be sent to accounts controlled by members of the syndicate.
Placid said operatives of the Intelligence Response Team carried out coordinated raids on May 7, 2026, at hideouts located along Barrister Road in Rugan Dakachi, Nasarawa State.
“Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Intelligence Response Team conducted coordinated operations… leading to the rescue of thirty victims, all identified as Malian nationals, and the arrest of thirteen suspects directly connected to the operation,” he stated.
The police said efforts are ongoing to apprehend other persons connected to the trafficking ring, while reaffirming the Force’s commitment to tackling human trafficking and transnational organised crime.
