From Victor Osula, Abuja
In a major security breakthrough, operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command’s Scorpion Squad have dismantled an international kidnapping and human trafficking syndicate, arresting 14 suspects and rescuing 23 foreign nationals held hostage in Nasarawa State.
The victims — 14 men, eight women, and a child — were freed from two fortified apartments in the Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani area of Ado-Mararaba, where they were confined under inhumane conditions after being trafficked into Nigeria under the guise of employment offers.
Confirming the operation on Friday, FCT Police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said the rescue followed days of coordinated intelligence gathering, digital tracking, and surveillance by the elite Scorpion Squad.
She disclosed that the victims were smuggled into Nigeria through illegal routes in a gruelling three-day journey orchestrated by a transnational criminal network targeting vulnerable job seekers across Francophone West Africa.
Upon arrival, the victims were reportedly stripped of communication access and forced to contact their families via WhatsApp, as the syndicate demanded four million CFA francs (about N10 million) in ransom per person.
Preliminary investigations identified the gang leader as Abubakar Jigiba, who allegedly operates across Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Nigeria. His brother, Sougule Zoubere, is said to be in charge of recruitment, transport, and confinement of victims trafficked from Mali. Both suspects remain on the run.
All 23 victims were rescued unhurt, except one who sustained a minor ear injury and is receiving treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja.
The arrested suspects were identified as Bubakari Cisse (40), Karamogo Dembele (25), Musa Kamsoko (23), Amadou Traore (25), Sareba Traore (24), Zoumana Diara (23), Umar Koulibaly (26), Alasgara Sagara (20), Berthe Saidu (23), Abdullahi Napo (32), Isah Goita (26), Lorita Traore (22), Mohammed Siaaibe (23), and Haruna Dembele (37).
Commending the operatives, FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Miller G. Dantawaye, vowed to sustain offensive operations against transnational human trafficking and cyber-enabled kidnapping rings.
He urged residents to stay vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements via the Police emergency lines:08032003913, 08028940883, and Complaint Response Unit 08107314192.
Meanwhile, a manhunt has been launched for Jigiba and Zoubere, as the police intensify cross-border intelligence operations to dismantle the syndicate’s network across West Africa.
