The Nigeria Police Force has rescued a 21-year-old Nigerian woman who was trafficked to Mali and forced into prostitution, while 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, following an intelligence-led investigation. 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. The police identified Solomon as the alleged leader of the syndicate.
The rescued woman, Patience Darius, from Akwanga, Nasarawa State, was reportedly lured by Solomon with promises of lucrative employment abroad. She was taken from Lagos through illegal routes in the Benin Republic to gold-mining camps in Mali.
According to the police, Solomon confiscated her phone and travel documents before taking her out of Nigeria. Upon arrival in Mali, she was allegedly handed over to two individuals identified as Mohammed and Marian, also known as Riana, and sold for 420,000 CFA francs, equivalent to about N770,000.
Darius reportedly told investigators that she was beaten for refusing to engage in prostitution and taken to a shrine, where she was forced to take a blood oath before being compelled into the trade.
The police said the investigation began after the victim’s sister lodged a complaint. Digital intelligence was subsequently deployed to track the syndicate. Solomon was arrested after returning to Nigeria to recruit more women for trafficking to Mali and Senegal, while the other two suspects were also apprehended.
The victim further 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 strict surveillance.
Following her rescue and return to Nigeria, Darius was taken to a police clinic for medical evaluation.
The police said investigations were ongoing to arrest other suspected members of the syndicate and facilitate the rescue of additional victims.
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