The Nigeria Police Force has dismantled two major human trafficking syndicates operating across Nigeria, arresting 11 suspects and rescuing more than 40 victims, including children, pregnant women, and foreign nationals.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the clampdown was carried out in separate coordinated raids in Enugu, Anambra, and Ondo States.
Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Zone-13 Police Command in the Southeast raided several locations linked to a child trafficking and baby factory network. The operation resulted in the arrest of eight suspects, among whom were Uzoamaka Ani (27), Joy Madu (52), and Victoria Onodu Akasike (56).
The suspects reportedly confessed to involvement in illegal adoption schemes, child theft, abduction, and the operation of unlicensed medical centres used as baby factories. Their operations were spread across rural communities in Enugu and Anambra States, where vulnerable women and children were lured and exploited.
During the raid, police rescued four victims: a seven-month-old infant, a four-year-old child, and two heavily pregnant women, both of whom are from Ebonyi State.
Investigators say the women were being held to deliver babies that would then be sold on the black market. All victims are now in protective custody and receiving medical and psychological care.
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In a related development, the Ondo State Police Command, acting on a formal request from the Interpol Liaison Office in Abuja, rescued a Ghanaian national, David Angerinya, who had been trafficked into Nigeria under false pretenses.
The suspects—Hayford Nyamekye, Awine Alex, and Kojo Felix—were arrested and identified as part of a wider transnational trafficking ring that targets West African nationals with false promises of jobs and travel opportunities abroad, particularly to Canada.
The operation also led to the discovery of 39 other Ghanaian nationals living in squalid conditions, most without valid travel documents. Authorities say they were victims of the same syndicate and are currently receiving medical attention and consular support.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, praised the swift and coordinated actions of the operatives and reaffirmed the police force’s zero-tolerance stance toward human trafficking and transnational crimes. He urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to law enforcement authorities.
“The Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in its duty to protect the vulnerable and bring perpetrators to justice,” the IGP said.
Efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicates who evaded arrest during the operations.
Crediblenewsng.com
