The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has made a major breakthrough in the fight against human trafficking by arresting a notorious trafficker and rescuing two young women from exploitation.
According to DSP Timfon John, the Public Relations Officer of the command, police operatives acted on credible intelligence to arrest a 47-year-old man from Edo State on the morning of August 26, around 9:30 am, in a hotel at Ring Road 3, Uyo.
The suspect, an illegal trafficker, was accused of smuggling young women from Akwa Ibom to various African countries—such as Libya and Burkina Faso—for prostitution and other criminal purposes. It was also revealed that he had been deported from another African country, though no specific nation was disclosed.
During the arrest, police successfully rescued two victims, believed to be young women who the trafficker intended to export. Preliminary investigations indicate he had previously trafficked two other women, one in July to Libya, and another on August 18 to Burkina Faso.
DSP John stated that the suspect confessed to collecting ₦50,000 per victim for arranging the trafficking, exposing a disturbing pay-for-victim model.
“The parents of the trafficked victims have been contacted to provide statements,” she said, adding that the suspect is now firmly in police custody as a full-scale investigation continues.
The command is pursuing his accomplices and network, signalling that more arrests may follow.
This arrest underscores the persistent danger of human trafficking across borders—even within domestic regions of Nigeria. Traffickers often exploit vulnerable young women by promising education or job opportunities, only to entrust them to dangerous criminal networks.
DSP John referred to the rescue as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt human trafficking rings targeting young women in the South-South and South-East regions.
In recent years, NAPTIP (National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons) and police in the region have rescued dozens of trafficking victims and secured convictions against traffickers—though challenges remain. In a related operation in March, Akwa Ibom police uncovered an illegal maternity home, rescuing pregnant women and infants from child trafficking, acceleration of medical malpractice, and false identities.
Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements and recruitment of young persons to foreign or remote regions.
As investigations deepen, authorities hope this arrest leads to the dismantling of a broader trafficking network and justice for its many victims.
