By: Agande Richard Aondofa | Edited by: Henry Owen | Stone Reporter News
Abuja, Nigeria — October 31, 2025
In what authorities are calling a major breakthrough in the fight against organized kidnapping and human trafficking, operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command’s Scorpion Squad have arrested fourteen (14) suspects and rescued twenty-three (23) foreign nationals held hostage in Nasarawa State.
The late-night raid, which took place around 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 22, was carried out at Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba.
According to police sources, the victims — including 14 men, 8 women, and a child — were trafficked into Nigeria under the guise of lucrative job offers. Upon arrival, they were detained in two fortified apartments while their abductors demanded ransom payments via WhatsApp and other online platforms.
Investigators revealed that the syndicate was coordinated by a transnational kingpin, Abubakar Jigiba, with operational links across Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Nigeria. His brother, Sougule Zoubere, reportedly handled recruitment and cross-border trafficking, smuggling victims from Mali into Nigeria. Each victim was held for ransom demands of four million CFA (approximately ₦10 million).
The victims were reportedly trafficked through illegal border routes on a three-day journey, and held under deplorable and inhumane conditions. Acting on digital and forensic intelligence, the Scorpion Squad tracked the suspects’ hideout and executed a coordinated rescue operation.
All victims were found alive — one with a minor ear injury — and have since been taken to the National Hospital, Abuja, for medical evaluation.
The arrested suspects 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).
The principal masterminds — Abubakar Jigiba and Sougule Zoubere — are currently on the run, with authorities confirming that a manhunt is underway across borders.
FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Miller G. Dantawaye, commended the Scorpion Squad for their precision and professionalism, urging residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements.
“This operation demonstrates our unwavering resolve to dismantle criminal syndicates exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit,” Dantawaye said.
Members of the public are encouraged to contact the command through its hotlines: 08032003913, 08028940883, or the Complaints Response Unit (CRU): 08107314192.
The police reaffirmed their commitment to cross-border collaboration to curb trafficking networks exploiting Nigeria’s porous borders and digital platforms for ransom operations.
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