Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command’s Scorpion Squad have rescued 23 foreign nationals and arrested 14 suspected kidnappers during an intelligence-led operation targeting a transnational human-trafficking ring.
Police authorities said the rescue took place at about 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 22, at Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba, Nasarawa State, following weeks of surveillance.
FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, described the raid as a “major breakthrough” in ongoing efforts against kidnapping and human trafficking.
“Operatives of the FCT Police Command’s Scorpion Squad successfully arrested 14 suspects and rescued twenty-three victims, all foreign nationals, from captivity,” Adeh said in a statement on Friday.
According to the police, the victims, 14 males, eight females and one child, were lured into Nigeria under the guise of lucrative job opportunities.
”On arrival, they were seized by their captors, who demanded ransom from relatives abroad through WhatsApp and other online platforms, ” she said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the network is allegedly led by Abubakar Jigiba, described as a “transnational criminal kingpin” with operational bases in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria.
His younger brother, Sougule Zoubere, reportedly handled recruitment and smuggling of victims from Mali into Nigeria, where they were detained in two fortified apartments under inhumane conditions.
“The victims were trafficked into the country through illegal border routes over a three-day journey,” police said.
“All 23 victims were rescued unhurt except one, who sustained a minor ear injury and has been taken to the National Hospital, Abuja, for treatment.
Investigators said digital and reconstructive intelligence helped trace the hideout.
The operation also yielded mobile phones, SIM cards, and financial records now being analysed to identify collaborators outside Nigeria.
The police have pledged to collaborate with INTERPOL and other West African security agencies to dismantle the wider network.
Authorities urged members of the public, particularly foreign job seekers to verify recruitment offers and report suspicious cross-border movements to law enforcement agencies.
“The FCT Police Command reiterates its commitment to combating organised crime and ensuring the safety of all residents and visitors,” Adeh said.
