Ondo human trafficking rescue sees police dismantle syndicate and free 21-year-old woman trafficked to Côte d’Ivoire under false job promise

The Ondo State Police Command has dismantled a cross-border human trafficking syndicate and rescued a 21-year-old woman, Akinwunmi Faith, who was allegedly deceived and trafficked to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire under the false promise of legitimate employment.

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Ondo trafficking rescue operation operation was confirmed in a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, following coordinated investigations triggered by a missing person report.

According to the statement, the victim was lured out of Nigeria on February 22, 2026, by three suspects identified as Akinlaja Blessings, Johnson Ahomari, and an accomplice known as Grace, who remains at large. The suspects allegedly promised her a supermarket sales job abroad.

Police said the victim’s mother, Akinwunmi Olubunmi, reported her disappearance at the Okitipupa Police Division on April 13, 2026, prompting a swift investigation into her whereabouts.

Findings revealed that upon arrival in Côte d’Ivoire, the victim was instead forced into prostitution and subjected to exploitative and inhumane conditions controlled by her traffickers.

In a dramatic escape, Akinwunmi Faith reportedly fled captivity on April 6, 2026, trekking through a bush path to a nearby community where she was able to contact her family.

She was later returned to Nigeria on April 11, 2026, and immediately taken to the State Specialist Hospital in Okitipupa for medical and psychological care.

Acting on intelligence, operatives of the command arrested two suspects, Akinlaja Blessings and Johnson Ahomari, who are currently assisting with investigations.

Efforts, according to police, are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and dismantle the wider trafficking network believed to be operating across borders.

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Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, condemned the incident, describing it as “inhuman and a gross violation of human dignity,” while assuring that all perpetrators would be brought to justice.