By Promise Toyon
In its sustained efforts to combat crimes,the Nigeria Police Force has successfully rescued a victim of human trafficking, a 24-year-old Ghanaian national, and arrested five suspects, including both Ghanaian and Nigerian nationals.
According to the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin who disclosed this in a press release, the rescue and arrest occured during a well-coordinated operation by operatives of INTERPOL Annex, FCID Alagbon, Lagos, in Ofada, Ogun State.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim and his father were allegedly trafficked into Nigeria in July 2025 by one Hassana Abban, a female, aged 25, a Ghanaian national residing in Ofada, Ogun State, under the guise of facilitating their travel to Canada.
The investigation revealed that the suspect obtained forty thousand (40,000) Cedis, approximately four million, nine hundred and sixty thousand (N4,960,000) Naira, for the supposed travel arrangements. Upon their arrival in Nigeria, their Ghanaian international passports and mobile phones were seized, and they were coerced into activities suspected to be fraudulent online trading platforms.
Following the assistance request from Interpol Accra, a special team of police operatives from INTERPOL Annex, FCID Alagbon, Lagos investigated the victims’ location, leading to their rescue on 16th September 2025 in Ogun State. The operation also resulted in the arrest of the principal suspect, Hassana Abban, alongside four accomplices, Odubuasi David, male, Nigerian national, Yahaya Salifu, male, Ghanaian national, Sherifa Haruna, female, Ghanaian national, and Ebenezer Ofosu, male, Ghanaian national. All five suspects are currently in custody and further investigations are ongoing. The rescued victims have since been reunited with their family back in Ghana.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has commended the professionalism of the operatives and reiterated the Nigeria Police Force’s resolute dedication to regional cooperation in combating human trafficking and transnational crimes, assuring the general public and international partners alike that no criminal syndicate operating across borders will escape the long arm of the law.
r4u029