By Deborah Nnamdi
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has rescued 23 foreign nationals from captivity during a late-night operation in Nasarawa State.
The victims — 14 men, eight women, and a child — were freed unhurt on Tuesday, October 22, 2025, when operatives of the command’s Scorpion Squad raided Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba.
Spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, said 14 suspects were arrested during the operation following credible intelligence that the victims had been trafficked into Nigeria under the guise of employment opportunities.
According to Adeh, the abductors demanded ransom from the victims’ families through WhatsApp and other online platforms. Preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate was coordinated by a transnational criminal, Abubakar Jigiba, who operates across Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Nigeria. His brother, Sougule Zoubere, allegedly handled the recruitment and trafficking of victims from Mali into Nigeria.
“The group demanded four million CFA, about ₦10 million, as ransom for each victim,” Adeh said, adding that the victims endured a three-day illegal journey through border routes and were kept in two fortified two-bedroom apartments under harsh conditions.
Those arrested include Bubakari Cisse (40), Karamogo Dembele (25), Musa Kamsoko (23), Amadou Traore (25), Sareba Traore (24), Zoumana Diara (23), Umar Koulibaly (26), Alasgara Sagara (20), Berthe Saidu (23), Abdullahi Napo (32), Isah Goita (26), Lorita Traore (22), Mohammed Siaaibe (23), and Haruna Dembele (37).
Adeh disclosed that one of the victims sustained a minor ear injury and is receiving treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja.
FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Miller G. Dantawaye, commended the Scorpion Squad for their swift response and urged residents to stay alert and report suspicious movements via the command’s emergency lines.
