Operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have arrested 13 suspects in Nasarawa State for running a sophisticated network that lured West African youths with fake jobs and forced them into staged kidnappings.
The Nigeria Police Force has dismantled a major transnational human trafficking syndicate, arresting 13 suspects and rescuing 30 victims who were being held under highly exploitative conditions.
The Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, May 15, 2026. He revealed that the suspects face multiple charges, including trans-border human trafficking, criminal conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretenses, unlawful detention, and staged kidnapping for ransom.
The breakthrough was achieved on May 7 by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) following a grueling 17-day operation combining geo-spatial technical intelligence and human surveillance.
Acting on actionable intelligence, the IRT raided two residential properties along Barrister Road, Rugan Dakachi, in Nasarawa State. The operation resulted in the rescue of 30 victims, all confirmed to be Malian nationals, who were being held in restrictive and dehumanizing conditions.
The investigation was triggered by an official petition submitted to the police by the Association of Malian Citizens in Nigeria, raising alarms over the suspicious disappearance of their compatriots across the country.
DCP Placid detailed a highly organized fraudulent network that targeted vulnerable young people across West Africa, particularly from Mali and Gabon. The scheme operated through several calculated phases:
- The Lure: The ringleader promised victims safe passage to Europe or high-paying employment opportunities within Nigeria. Victims were asked to pay an initial fee of approximately N120,000 for travel and processing.
- Confinement: Upon arriving in Nigeria, the victims were moved to secluded apartments in Mararaba and Karu in Nasarawa State, where their movements were strictly restricted.
- Extortion: The syndicate then demanded an additional N150,000 from the victims, falsely claiming it was an “investment fee” for wellness products and business schemes.
- Staged Kidnappings: Victims who could not afford the extra payments were coerced into pretending they had been kidnapped by armed bandits. They were forced to make distress calls to their families back home, begging for ransom payments which were directly funneled into bank accounts controlled by the syndicate.
The Nigeria Police Force is currently working in synergy with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Embassy of Mali to ensure the victims receive proper protection, documentation, and safe repatriation to their home country.
Meanwhile, a comprehensive investigation remains ongoing to track down local collaborators, including landlords who knowingly provided accommodation to the syndicate and individuals facilitating logistics under the guise of running legitimate businesses.
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