A major anti-trafficking operation in Lagos has led to the rescue of 24 people allegedly held in captivity by a suspected criminal network operating in Badagry.
Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) uncovered the suspected human trafficking and abduction syndicate after months of intelligence gathering and community-based investigations. The operation, carried out by the Lagos State Command in Badagry West, also resulted in the arrest of three suspects.
Speaking during a parade of the suspects at the NSCDC Badagry Division headquarters in Ibeko, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Oluwaseun Abolurin, described the discovery as a major breakthrough in the fight against human trafficking and related crimes in the state.
Investigators said the victims were allegedly confined in an illegal facility where they were exploited under disturbing conditions. Among those rescued were citizens of Togo and the Republic of Benin, as well as a Nigerian from Imo State, pointing to the cross-border nature of the operation.
Authorities revealed that some victims had been missing for as long as three years, while others had reportedly disappeared between six and nine months before they were found.
One of the most troubling discoveries was that a female victim gave birth while in captivity. Two other women rescued during the operation were also found to be pregnant.
“The victims have suffered memory loss to the point that they cannot remember how they got into those confinements,” Abolurin said.
The NSCDC further alleged that the suspects used food substances mixed with unknown materials to manipulate and control the victims. The agency noted that several families had spent years searching for their missing relatives, unaware that they were allegedly being held at the facility.
While officials declined to disclose the exact location of the camp due to ongoing investigations, the Corps urged families with missing loved ones to contact the Lagos State Command for possible identification.
Abolurin reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with security agencies, border communities and other stakeholders to combat human trafficking, kidnapping and organised crime across Lagos State.
“We have been able to smash this criminal syndicate. We will do everything within our capacity to synergise with relevant stakeholders to ensure that Lagos is not a safe haven for criminals,” he said.
The operation is one of the largest anti-human trafficking raids recorded in Lagos in recent months and has renewed concerns about criminal networks operating within border communities and exploiting vulnerable individuals.
