Police rescue Nigerian woman sold for N770,000 in Mali

By Kingsley Omonobi The Nigeria Police Force has rescued a 21-year-old Nigerian woman trafficked to Mali and forced into prostitution, arresting three suspected members of an international human trafficking syndicate. The operation was carried out by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad, Force Intelligence Department (STS-FID), following an intelligence-led investigation into the trafficking network.

The development was disclosed during a press briefing by ACP Victor Ogbeide Godfrey, who coordinated the operation. He said the suspects were arrested between October 1 and 27, 2026. The suspects were identified as Daniel Aondofa, 26; Orgba Solomon, 28, also known as Terry; and ThankGod Ocho, 25. All three are indigenes of Benue State, while Solomon was identified as the alleged leader of the syndicate.

The police said the victim, Patience Darius, from Akwanga, Nasarawa State, was lured by Solomon with promises of lucrative employment opportunities abroad. According to the police, she was taken to Lagos on September 26 before being moved through illegal border routes into the Benin Republic and subsequently transported to gold-mining camps in Mali, where women were allegedly forced into prostitution.

Solomon reportedly confiscated her mobile phone and travel documents before taking her out of Nigeria, cutting off communication with her family and friends. Upon arrival in Mali, she was allegedly handed over to two individuals identified as Mohammed and Marian, also known as Riana, before being sold for 420,000 CFA francs, equivalent to approximately N770,000.

Recounting her ordeal, the victim said she was severely beaten for refusing to engage in prostitution and subsequently taken to a shrine, where she was forced to take a blood oath. The police report quoted her as saying that when she refused to engage in prostitution, she was “beaten blue and black” and taken to a shrine, where she was forced to take a blood oath before being compelled into prostitution.

The Force said the investigation began after the victim’s sister lodged a complaint, prompting operatives to deploy digital intelligence to track the trafficking network. It said Solomon was arrested after returning to Nigeria to recruit more women for trafficking to Senegal and Mali, while the two other suspects were also apprehended. The suspects reportedly confessed to their involvement in the crime and provided information that facilitated the victim’s rescue from Mali.

The police further disclosed that Darius alleged that about 42 Nigerian women were being held in a makeshift camp within a gold-mining settlement in Mali, where they were subjected to forced prostitution and slave-like conditions. According to the victim, the women were kept under strict surveillance, making escape almost impossible. Following her rescue and return to Nigeria, Darius was taken to a police clinic for medical evaluation.

The Force said investigations were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and secure the rescue of additional victims.