Ondo Police Bust Cross-Border Human Trafficking Ring, Rescue 21-Year-Old Woman Forced Into Sex Trade in Côte d’Ivoire

A 21-year-old Nigerian woman has been rescued from a suspected international trafficking network after being deceived with a fake job offer and forced into sexual exploitation in Côte d’Ivoire, in a case that has exposed the expanding reach of cross-border crime networks operating from Nigeria.

The victim, identified as Akinwunmi Faith, was reportedly lured out of the country on February 22, 2026, with the promise of employment as a supermarket sales assistant. Instead of legitimate work, she was handed over to traffickers and forced into prostitution under harsh and abusive conditions.

Police in Ondo State confirmed that the victim was rescued after she escaped captivity and trekked through a bush path to a nearby community in Côte d’Ivoire, where she managed to reach out to her family for help. She returned to Nigeria on April 11 and was immediately placed under medical and psychological care at the State Specialist Hospital in Okitipupa.

The case came to light after her mother reported her missing at the Okitipupa Police Division on April 13, triggering a coordinated investigation by security operatives. What followed was a rapid tracking operation that led to the arrest of two suspects linked to the trafficking network.

Those currently in custody have been identified as Akinlaja Blessings and Johnson Ahomari. A third suspect, identified only as Grace, is still on the run as police intensify efforts to dismantle the wider trafficking ring believed to operate across international routes.

Investigators say the suspects lured the victim abroad with false promises before handing her over to individuals who subjected her to exploitation and sustained abuse. Her escape, according to officials, was both risky and rare, given the level of control often exercised by trafficking syndicates.

The Ondo State Police Command described the operation as a significant breakthrough in its fight against human trafficking, noting that intelligence-led policing played a key role in tracing and arresting the suspects.

Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, condemned the incident, calling it a “gross violation of human dignity” and vowed that all individuals connected to the network would be brought to justice.

Security authorities say investigations are ongoing to uncover additional collaborators and identify how the trafficking route was sustained across borders.