Hot Source….Eight suspects arrested; 49 victims rescued in Abuja & Uyo
Ghana’s INTERPOL, in collaboration with Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has arrested eight individuals suspected of belonging to a notorious human trafficking syndicate operating between Nigeria and Ghana, according to multiple Nigerian media reports.
The joint operation also resulted in the rescue of 29 victims, most of whom were foreign nationals from West African countries, particularly Ghana. This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by NAPTIP’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
It is unclear if this can be delinked from the tragic Takoradi Girls case in 2018–2019, where four girls in Takoradi, Western Region of Ghana, were kidnapped and later said to have been confirmed murdered by the Ghana Police.
The Abuja release follows the earlier rescue of 20 Ghanaians, 10 men and 10 women, who had been trafficked to the Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. That operation was carried out by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command. This brought the number to 49 victims, with Ghanaians in the majority.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, explained in a statement issued in Uyo on Wednesday, 20 August, that the victims were freed from a compound in Obio Etoi village, Uyo LGA, following a formal request for assistance from the Ghana Police Service and INTERPOL.
In the Abuja raid, NAPTIP Press Officer Adekunle Adekoye revealed that operatives stormed a popular apartment in Gwagwalada, a suburb of Abuja, after receiving intelligence from a foreign embassy.
This development came barely a few days after the agency disrupted another trafficking arrangement in Abuja and rescued 25 women en route to Saudi Arabia for domestic exploitation.
The statement reads, “Detailed investigation revealed that the agency received an official intelligence from the Ghanaian Embassy concerning a suspected case of human trafficking involving a Ghanaian national.
“According to the embassy, the victim was allegedly recruited in Ghana under false pretences and transported to Nigeria, where he was subjected to exploitation. The embassy requested the agency’s urgent intervention in line with existing bilateral cooperation agreements and anti-trafficking frameworks.
“The victim was allegedly defrauded of $3,500 by a suspected trafficking syndicate that had promised him legitimate opportunities in Nigeria.
“Upon his arrival in Nigeria, the traffickers confiscated his international passport and personal belongings, leaving him vulnerable and at the mercy of the syndicate.”
The agency stated that the report triggered immediate operational action in compliance with its mandate to prevent, suppress and prosecute trafficking in persons as provided under national and international legal frameworks.
“During the raid, a total of eight suspects were apprehended. The suspects are believed to be members of an organised trafficking network operating between Ghana and Nigeria.
“They are currently in custody, undergoing profiling and interrogation.
“Also, 29 victims were successfully rescued. The victims comprise 20 females aged between 17–28 and nine males aged between 18–30. They were immediately taken into protective custody.
“The international passport and other personal belongings of the primary victim were recovered during the operation.
“Other materials suspected to be linked to trafficking activities were also seized, including mobile phones, SIM cards, and financial transaction records,” it highlighted.
It said further investigation revealed that the victims whose temporary permits had since expired were trafficked to Nigeria by the syndicate for alleged sexual exploitation and cybercrime activities.
“While the 29 rescued victims have been transferred to a safe shelter where they are receiving immediate assistance, the agency has commenced discussions with the relevant diplomatic missions for the foreign nationals among the rescued persons,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, decried the activities of the trans border human traffickers and the new trends of foreign nationals as victims.
Bello said, “This case highlights the transnational dimension of human trafficking and the vulnerabilities of individuals seeking better opportunities across borders.
“The swift intervention by the Agency, in collaboration with the Ghanaian Embassy, demonstrates the importance of timely intelligence sharing and coordinated law enforcement response.
“The suspects in this will face the full wrath of the law, and just like I warned a few weeks ago, the atmosphere in Nigeria will continue to be tough for them to operate.
“We shall continue to disrupt their operation, intercept and rescue the victims, and also prosecute them.
“The agency remains committed to its mandate of ensuring justice for victims, dismantling trafficking networks, and strengthening partnerships at both national and international levels to eradicate human trafficking.”
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, in their statement, disclosed that the operatives, acting on credible information, surrounded the well-fenced building at approximately 4 pm on Monday.
The raid resulted in the rescue of 10 males and 10 females (names withheld), all of whom were confirmed to be Ghanaian nationals.
The statement read, “On August 18, 2025, operatives of the command successfully rescued 20 Ghanians trafficked to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
‘’The human trafficking victims were rescued from a compound in Obio Etoi village, Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, after an operation that was a collaborative effort following a formal request for assistance from the Ghana Police Service and INTERPOL.
“Acting on credible information, operatives surrounded a well-fenced building at approximately 1617 hours on Monday, August 18, 2025. The raid led to the rescue of 10 males and 10 females (names withheld), all confirmed to be Ghanaian nationals.’’
John said after the rescue, the victims appeared disoriented and unable to speak, adding that an investigation into the matter is still going on.
The victims presently appear disoriented and have been unable to provide useful information, leading investigators to suspect they might have been hypnotised.
‘’Investigation is ongoing, and further developments will be communicated to the public as they become available,’’ the statement added.
Between August and December 2018, four young girls, Ruth Abaka (18), Priscilla Blessing Bentum (21), Ruth Love Quayson (18), and Priscilla Koranchie (15), were abducted in Takoradi.
The kidnappings were initially treated as missing person cases, but public outcry and pressure on the Ghana Police Service mounted after suspicions of a serial abduction emerged.
In 2019, police investigations led to the arrest of two Nigerian suspects, Samuel Udoetuk Wills and John Oji, who were linked to the kidnappings.
In August 2019, the Ghana Police announced that DNA tests confirmed that the remains found in the suspects’ hideout were those of the four girls, officially declaring them dead.
The case sparked widespread national outrage, criticism of the police handling of the investigation, and protests in Takoradi. Families of the victims initially contested the DNA results, demanding independent verification.
In March 2021, the two Nigerian suspects were sentenced to death by hanging for their roles in the kidnappings and murders.
The “Takoradi Girls” case remains a landmark in Ghana’s criminal justice and security history, raising issues of police accountability, public trust in law enforcement, and the safety of young women.
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