police operation has exposed an international human trafficking network allegedly operating between Nigeria, Benin Republic and Mali, following the arrest of three suspects and the rescue of a young Nigerian woman who was beaten, forced into a blood oath and sold for prostitution.
Behind the promise of a better life abroad was a trafficking business in which young Nigerian women were recruited, transported across borders and sold into sexual exploitation. For one 21-year-old woman from Akwanga, Nasarawa State, what appeared to be an opportunity to secure lucrative employment outside Nigeria allegedly ended in beatings, forced prostitution and captivity in a remote gold-mining settlement in Mali.
The disturbing details emerged on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, during a parade of suspects by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Special Tactical Squad (FID-STS) in Abuja, where the police presented three suspected international human traffickers alongside suspects arrested in separate operations involving armed robbery, vehicle theft and illegal arms supply.
But beyond the arrests and recovered exhibits, it was the account of the alleged leader of the trafficking network that provided a glimpse into how the criminal operation reportedly worked and how women were recruited from Nigeria and transported to foreign destinations.
At a police parade in Abuja, the alleged kingpin gave an account of how financial difficulties led him into the business, which he claimed to have been involved in for four years.
The kingpin, identified as 28 year old Orgba Solomon, popularly known as Terry, reportedly told journalists during an interview at the parade that he had been involved in the business for about four years.
According to his account, his involvement began after he encountered financial difficulties and a friend introduced him to the business of taking women abroad for prostitution.Solomon, who is a Nigerian but resides in the Republic of Benin, reportedly explained that he had continued with the activity since then, working with other individuals who helped him identify and recruit women from different parts of Nigeria.
He indicated that he had contacts through whom women were sourced, including persons in Akwa Ibom State, while other members of the network assisted with the recruitment and movement of the women.
His account suggested that the operation was not limited to one individual but involved a network of people performing different roles, from identifying potential victims in Nigeria to arranging their movement across borders and receiving them at their destinations. The women were allegedly taken to Mali, where they were expected to engage in prostitution.
However, Solomon’s account of the particular 21-year-old victim differed from the general arrangement he described. He reportedly admitted that he did not tell her that his intention was to take her abroad for prostitution. This is a significant detail in the investigation, as the victim had allegedly been recruited through promises of lucrative employment rather than being informed about the sexual exploitation awaiting her.
The police identified the victim as Miss Patience Darius, aged 21, from Akwanga, Nasarawa State. Investigations revealed that she was allegedly lured by Solomon with promises of a well-paying job abroad before being transported from Nigeria through illegal border routes.
On September 26, 2026, she was reportedly taken to Lagos and subsequently moved through bush paths and unofficial crossing points into the Republic of Benin, with the traffickers allegedly using the routes to evade immigration authorities, from Benin, she was transported to an artisanal gold-mining settlement in Mali, where women were reportedly forced into prostitution.
Before leaving Lagos, Solomon allegedly confiscated her mobile phone and travelling documents, leaving her unable to communicate with her family and friends. The action reportedly cut off her access to assistance and made it difficult for relatives to establish where she had been taken.
Upon arrival in Mali, she was allegedly handed over to other members of the trafficking network, including individuals identified as Mohammed and Marian, also known as Riana. The victim reportedly told investigators that she was sold for 420,000 CFA francs, equivalent to approximately N770,000.
Her experience reportedly became more brutal when she refused to engage in prostitution. Rather than allowing her to leave, those controlling her allegedly subjected her to severe beatings in an attempt to force her into the business. She further disclosed that she was taken to a shrine and compelled to take a blood oath before being forced into sexual exploitation.
The victim’s sister eventually raised the alarm after losing contact with her, leading to a report that triggered an intelligence-led investigation by the FID-STS. Operatives subsequently began tracking the suspected traffickers and gathering digital intelligence to establish their movements and identify other members of the network.
The investigation reportedly took a major turn on October 18, 2026, when Solomon returned to Nigeria, allegedly to recruit more women for trafficking to Mali and Senegal. Police operatives, acting on actionable digital intelligence, arrested him alongside two other suspected members of the network, identified as Daniel Aondofa, 26, and ThankGod Ocho, 25.
The police described Solomon as the alleged leader of the syndicate, while Aondofa and Ocho were identified as his suspected accomplices. All three suspects were reported to be from Benue State, although Solomon was said to be residing in the Republic of Benin.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to their involvement in the trafficking operation and provided information that assisted the police in locating the victim. The woman was subsequently rescued from Mali and brought back to Nigeria, where she was taken to a police clinic for medical evaluation.
But what investigators uncovered following her rescue suggested that her experience might be part of a much wider operation involving dozens of Nigerian women. According to the victim’s account, approximately 42 Nigerian women were being held in a makeshift camp within a remote artisanal gold-mining settlement, where they were allegedly forced into prostitution and subjected to severe, slave-like conditions.
She reportedly disclosed that the women were guarded, their movements restricted and their chances of escaping extremely limited. The revelation has raised concerns about the possibility of other Nigerian women remaining trapped in the settlement and the need for further cross-border investigations to identify and rescue them.
The police also disclosed that three additional female victims, identified as Miss Mati Gudia, Miss Amina Guzman and Miss Hadiza Yaya, were rescued during the operation and reunited with their families. Efforts are continuing to locate other victims and arrest fleeing members of the alleged trafficking network.
The operation was coordinated by the Commander of STS-FID, ACP Victor Ogbeide Godfrey, following the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to intensify efforts towards protecting lives and property, particularly vulnerable persons.
Beyond the international trafficking case, the parade also featured two other major operational breakthroughs recorded by the tactical unit, including the arrest of two suspected members of an armed robbery and vehicle theft syndicate and three suspected gunrunners allegedly supplying weapons and logistical support to bandits in Katsina State.
In the vehicle theft operation, operatives arrested Aminu Shafu, 35, and Muhammad Yahya, 33, both reportedly from Yola, Adamawa State, on October 16, 2026. Preliminary investigations allegedly linked them to armed robbery, vehicle theft and the receiving of stolen property, while information obtained during interrogation reportedly helped investigators identify other members of the syndicate.
The operation resulted in the recovery of eight vehicles, including two Toyota Corollas, two Toyota Vibe vehicles and a Toyota Sienna, alongside three other vehicles. Among the exhibits were a blue Toyota Corolla with registration number ABABC 81AA, an ash-coloured Toyota Corolla without a registration number, a red Toyota Vibe bearing registration number YABC 325A, a gold Toyota Sienna with registration number YMT 728SU and another Toyota Vibe with registration number ABJ 226.
In a separate operation on October 1, 2026, police operatives arrested three suspected gunrunners allegedly connected to the supply of weapons and logistical support to bandits operating in Katsina State. The suspects were identified as Musa Lawa, 30, and Bello Abubakar, 25, both from Katsina State, as well as Abu Bakr Muhammad, 24, from Damaturu, Yobe State.
Police investigations reportedly linked the suspects to the movement and supply of firearms to criminal groups terrorising communities in the region. Their arrest led to the recovery of four engines, one locally fabricated pistol capable of using 9mm ammunition, three fabricated rifles described in the police briefing as AK-47 rifles, and eight rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.
The police said investigations into all three operations were ongoing, with efforts intensified to apprehend other fleeing suspects, recover additional weapons and stolen property, dismantle the criminal networks and rescue more victims of human trafficking.
The revelations from the parade, particularly the account of the 21-year-old woman allegedly sold for N770,000, have brought renewed attention to the dangers of deceptive overseas employment offers and the networks exploiting young Nigerians seeking opportunities outside the country.
For the woman rescued from Mali, the police operation brought an end to her reported captivity, but for the approximately 42 Nigerian women she said were still being held in the mining settlement, the search for freedom may not yet be over.
