By Nkechi Eze
The Nigeria Police Force has uncovered an international human trafficking network allegedly holding about 42 Nigerian women in a remote gold-mining settlement in Mali, where they are subjected to forced prostitution and slave-like conditions.
The development followed an intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department Special Tactical Squad (FID-STS), which led to the arrest of three suspected members of the trafficking network and the rescue of a 21-year-old Nigerian woman from Mali.
Addressing journalists during a press briefing in Abuja, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, FID Special Tactical Squad, ACP Godfrey Ogbeide Victor, said the operation was conducted between October 1 and 27, 2026, following directives by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, to intensify efforts to protect lives and property, particularly vulnerable persons.
He identified the arrested suspects as Daniel Aondofa, 26; Orgba Solomon, 28, also known as Terry, who allegedly leads the network and resides in the Republic of Benin; and Thankgod Ocho, 25. All three suspects are indigenes of Benue State.
According to him, investigations revealed that the rescued victim, identified as Godiya Amos, a 21-year-old woman from Akwanga, Nasarawa State, was allegedly lured by Solomon with promises of lucrative employment abroad.
The victim was reportedly transported through Lagos and illegal border routes into the Republic of Benin on September 26, 2026, before being moved to artisanal gold-mining camps in Mali, where female victims were allegedly forced into prostitution.
ACP Victor disclosed that Solomon confiscated her mobile phone and travel documents, cutting off communication with her family, before handing her over to other members of the trafficking network, who allegedly sold her for CFA 420,000, equivalent to approximately N770,000.
He said the victim’s refusal to engage in prostitution attracted severe beatings, adding that she was allegedly forced to take a blood oath at a shrine before being subjected to sexual exploitation.
The police spokesman explained that the breakthrough followed a report by the victim’s sister, which prompted operatives to launch an intelligence-driven investigation using digital intelligence.
He said on October 18, Solomon returned to Nigeria to recruit more females for trafficking to Senegal and Mali, providing an opportunity for operatives to move against the network.
During the operation, three other female victims, identified as Martha Godiya, Amina Usman and Hadisa Yahaya, were rescued and reunited with their families.
Further investigations led to the arrest of Solomon, Aondofa and Ocho, whose statements and information reportedly facilitated the rescue of Godiya from Mali.
The rescued woman subsequently disclosed that approximately 42 Nigerian females were being held in a makeshift camp within a remote gold-mining settlement, where their movements were restricted and attempts to escape made extremely difficult.
The police said the women were allegedly subjected to forced prostitution and other forms of exploitation, while efforts were being intensified to identify and dismantle the trafficking network, apprehend other suspects and secure the rescue of additional victims.
ACP Victor reaffirmed the commitment of the Inspector-General of Police to sustaining intelligence-led operations against human trafficking and other forms of criminality, urging Nigerians to remain security conscious and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
He assured the public that the operations of the FID Special Tactical Squad would be sustained and extended across all states of the federation.
