The Enugu State Police Command has dismantled a suspected human trafficking operation linked to prostitution, arresting a 50-year-old woman and rescuing a 20-year-old victim.
The suspect, identified as Ibekwe Nkiru, was arrested following an operation carried out by operatives of the Igbo-Eze South Police Division on January 16, 2026.
In a statement issued on Wednesday night by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the police said the arrest followed swift action based on credible intelligence.
Preliminary findings revealed that the victim, who hails from Abia State, was allegedly lured into resigning from her job in Aba after being promised a better-paying employment opportunity in Senegal. The police, however, said the job offer later turned out to be prostitution-related.
According to the statement, the suspect, who is said to operate from the Amorji-Nike area of Enugu, allegedly took the victim to a shrine in Alor-Agu community, Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, on the instructions of other members of the trafficking syndicate who are still at large. The visit was reportedly meant for the victim to swear an oath of allegiance ahead of her planned trafficking to Senegal.
The police said that upon receiving the information at about 8:00 p.m. the same day, the Divisional Police Officer led a team of operatives to the location, leading to the arrest of the suspect and the rescue of the victim.
SP Ndukwe disclosed that the rescued woman has since been debriefed and reunited with her family, while investigations are ongoing to track down other members of the syndicate.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department to take over the case to ensure that all those involved are identified, arrested and prosecuted.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating human trafficking, prostitution and other related crimes, and appealed to residents to provide timely and credible information to support the police in preventing and tackling crime in the state.
The command also assured the public of its resolve to protect vulnerable persons and bring perpetrators of human trafficking and similar offences to justice.