The Niger State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in a transnational human trafficking case, arresting a 22-year-old woman and rescuing two young victims from forced labour and s3xual exploitation in Ghana.
Deceptive Job Offer Leads to Nightmare
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the suspect, Gift Segun Lucky of Tunga, Minna, was arrested for criminal conspiracy and trafficking in persons. The case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna on 9th December 2025 from the Child Rights Agency.
Abiodun revealed that in November 2025, Lucky conspired with persons now at large to traffic three female victims aged 17, 20, and 21 years. The suspect approached the victims, who were friends residing around M7 Tunga in Minna, with a deceptive offer. She promised them jobs at a cocoa company in Lagos with a weekly salary of one hundred and twenty thousand naira (N120,000).
Transnational Trafficking Network Exposed
Two of the victims initially showed interest and, without their parents' knowledge or consent, embarked on a trip to Lagos fully paid for by the suspect. However, upon arrival at a park in Lagos, they were met by another agent known as "Sunny" (Sunday), who is still at large. He transported them in a coaster bus under threats to an unknown destination, beginning a journey through a network of trafficking agents at strategic pick-up points.
After two days in transit, they arrived in Ghana and were taken to a large building in a remote village in Kumasi. There, they were handed over to a woman addressed only as "Madame" and later transferred to another called "Jennifer aka Sugar". Both women subjected the victims to forced manual labour and s3xual exploitation.
Police investigation uncovered that Lucky established contact with a trafficking agent named "Abiola Adebayo" residing in Ghana through an online Facebook betting platform, where she was introduced to the trafficking business.
Collaborative Rescue and Ongoing Efforts
Following a joint investigation by detectives from the Anti-Kidnapping unit of SCID Minna in collaboration with Interpol, and pressure from the victims' parents, the two victims were successfully rescued. They were released and brought back to Lagos from Ghana on 1st January 2026.
Further findings revealed that the third victim later indicated interest in the same job offer and was separately trafficked to Ivory Coast under the same false pretence. The police confirmed that efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue her.
The suspect, Gift Segun Lucky, remains in custody undergoing interrogation to help identify other agents connected to the crime. She will be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigation. The police have also assured that further collaborative transnational security measures are in place to rescue other trafficked victims.
