Police Rescue Nigerian Woman Sold For ₦770,000 In Mali, Arrest 3 Suspects

The Nigeria Police Force has rescued a 21-year-old Nigerian woman who was allegedly trafficked to Mali and sold for 420,000 CFA francs, equivalent to approximately ₦770,000, for forced prostitution.

The operation also led to the arrest of three suspected members of an international human trafficking syndicate operating between Nigeria and other West African countries.

The police disclosed that operatives of the Special Tactical Squad, Force Intelligence Department (STS-FID), carried out the operation following an intelligence-led investigation into the trafficking network.

Speaking during a press briefing, the operation coordinator, ACP Victor Ogbeide Godfrey, 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 from Benue State, while Solomon was identified as the alleged leader of the syndicate.

According to the police, the victim, Patience Darius, from Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, was allegedly lured by Solomon with promises of lucrative employment opportunities abroad.

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She was reportedly taken to Lagos on September 26 before being transported through illegal routes into the Benin Republic and subsequently to gold-mining camps in Mali, where she was allegedly forced into prostitution.

The police said Solomon confiscated her mobile phone and travel documents before taking her out of Nigeria, thereby cutting off communication with her family and friends.

Upon arriving in Mali, Darius was allegedly handed over to two individuals identified as Mohammed and Marian, also known as Riana, who reportedly sold her for 420,000 CFA francs, approximately ₦770,000.

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 quoted her as saying she was “beaten blue and black” before being subjected to the ritual and eventually forced into prostitution.

The Force said the investigation began after the victim’s sister reported the incident, prompting operatives to deploy digital intelligence to track down the trafficking network.

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Solomon was reportedly arrested after returning to Nigeria to recruit more women for trafficking to Senegal and Mali. The other two suspects were subsequently apprehended.

The police said the suspects confessed to their alleged involvement in the crime and provided information that facilitated the victim’s rescue from Mali.

Further revelations from Darius indicated that about 42 Nigerian women were allegedly being held in a makeshift camp within a gold-mining settlement in Mali, where they were subjected to forced prostitution and slave-like conditions.

She reportedly disclosed that the women were kept under strict surveillance, making escape extremely difficult.

Following her rescue and return to Nigeria, Darius was taken to a police clinic for medical evaluation.

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

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