A 26-year-old woman has been arrested in Delta State for allegedly trafficking two young Nigerian women to Côte d’Ivoire under the guise of offering them vocational training before forcing them into prostitution.
The police spokesperson in the state, Bright Edafe disclosed this in a statement sent to this newspaper on Sunday, saying one of the victims, aged 25, has been rescued and reunited with her family, while efforts are underway to rescue the second victim and dismantle the trafficking network.
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Victim allegedly deceived
Mr Edafe, a superintendent of police, identified the suspect as Ese Isiorho.
He said the arrest followed a petition alleging that Ms Isiorho deceived the 25-year-old victim with the promise of learning a hairdressing trade in Côte d’Ivoire.
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Investigators, however, found that after arriving in the West African country, the woman was allegedly forced into prostitution.
The police said operatives attached to the Effurun area command arrested the suspect following investigations into the petition.
During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to trafficking the rescued victim and another woman, also in her 20s, to Côte d’Ivoire.
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The victims were allegedly handed over to a woman identified only as Madam Purity “for the purpose of prostitution,” the police said.
Rescue, investigation continue
The command said sustained investigative efforts and collaboration led to the successful rescue and return of the 25-year-old victim to Nigeria.
The victim has since been reunited with her family and is receiving medical attention, according to the police.
The police added that efforts are ongoing to secure the return of the second victim, who is still believed to be in Côte d’Ivoire, and to apprehend other members of the trafficking syndicate.
The Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Yemi Oyeniyi, commended the officers involved in the operation and reiterated the command’s resolve to combat trafficking and other organised crimes.
He urged residents to “remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious recruitment schemes and trafficking-related activities to the Police.”
READ ALSO: Ebonyi: We rescued 64 children, others trafficked to Ghana, Libya – NAPTIP
Growing concern
The latest arrest comes amid renewed efforts by Nigerian law enforcement agencies to curb human trafficking, a crime that often exploits young people with false promises of employment, education or migration opportunities.
In May, the Nigeria Police Force dismantled a transnational trafficking syndicate operating around Abuja and Nasarawa State, rescuing 30 Malian nationals and arresting 13 suspects allegedly involved in luring vulnerable victims with deceptive migration and job offers.
Anti-trafficking advocates have also warned that traffickers are increasingly targeting families directly through fake job offers, scholarships and online recruitment schemes, underscoring the need for greater public vigilance and awareness.
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