Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
In a major crackdown on transnational organised crime, operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force have dismantled a foreign human trafficking syndicate operating in Nasarawa State, rescuing 30 Malian nationals who were allegedly held captive and exploited. The breakthrough, announced on May 9, 2026, followed a formal petition submitted by leaders of the Malian Diaspora Community in Nigeria, who reported that their citizens were being lured into the country with false promises of work and investment opportunities, only to be trapped and extorted. The rescue operation, which spanned 17 days, led to the arrest of 13 suspects, including 12 Malians and one Nigerian accomplice, while other members of the syndicate reportedly escaped and are still being hunted.
According to a police source familiar with the operation, the IRT swung into action after receiving multiple distress signals from victims who had secretly contacted their relatives in Mali, claiming they were being held hostage. “A leader from the Malian diaspora group wrote a petition to the IRT, and our commander swung into action. There have been many complaints about their loved ones asking them to send money, saying they were being held hostage with their hands tied and money was being demanded for their release,” the source told Punch. One victim’s parents had already paid a ransom to the traffickers, only for the victim to call again two weeks later requesting further assistance. The sustained pressure eventually led operatives to a residential apartment at Barrister Road in the Rugan Dakachi area of Karu Local Government Area, where the first 15 victims were rescued. “After 17 days of relentless follow‑up, our men eventually succeeded in rescuing about 15 Malian nationals who were lured, kidnapped and kept under captivity in a residential apartment,” a police officer involved in the operation said. Further investigations later led the team to another apartment in the same area, where an additional 15 victims were found, bringing the total number of rescued persons to 30.
Investigators discovered that the prime suspect had rented the two apartments used to hold the victims at costs of ₦1.9 million and ₦1.7 million respectively. The syndicate operated under the cover of a fake employment and investment scheme linked to an entity called “Q‑NET.” A petition dated April 23, 2026, signed by the President of the Malian Citizens Diaspora Organisation in Nigeria, Dembélé Talibé, accused the network of using false job promises to lure unsuspecting Malians into Nigeria, where they were subsequently exploited and manipulated. One of the rescued victims, Idirisaa Kaulibali, described how he was deceived by his own half‑sister. “I was invited here by my half‑sister to come and make money in Nigeria. When I got here, they said I needed money to join them. They told me they sell wristwatches online, so I had to tie my hands and ask my parents to send money so I could start the business. I am not the only one who did that. All of us did the same,” he told police. The victims are now expected to be handed over to officials of the Malian Embassy after the conclusion of investigations.
The rescue operation began with a formal petition from the Malian diaspora community in Nigeria. The petition, dated April 23, 2026, was signed by the President of the Malian Citizens Diaspora Organisation in Nigeria, Mr. Dembélé Talibé. It alleged that a network operating under the guise of “Q‑NET” had been deceiving Malian citizens with false promises of employment and investment opportunities in Nigeria. Upon arrival, the victims were held captive and forced to contact their families in Mali to demand ransom payments. One police source described the syndicate’s tactics: “The victims were made to kneel with their hands tied while they called their parents, pleading for money to be sent for their release.”
Acting on the petition, the IRT Commander, DCP Adamu Muazu, ordered an immediate investigation. Police operatives conducted sustained surveillance for 17 days, eventually tracing the syndicate to a residential apartment on Barrister Road in the Rugan Dakachi area of Karu Local Government Area. During the first raid, officers rescued 15 Malian nationals who had been kept in captivity. The victims were found in a locked apartment with limited food and water. A police officer who participated in the operation said: “After days of relentless tracking, our operatives successfully rescued the victims who had been lured into Nigeria with false promises before being confined in the building.”
Following the first rescue, interrogations revealed that the suspects had rented a second apartment within the same area. Police raided the second location and rescued an additional 15 victims, bringing the total number of rescued persons to 30. In total, 13 suspects, including 12 Malians and one Nigerian accomplice, were arrested during the operation. Several other members of the syndicate reportedly escaped as police approached, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend them.
The rescue effort was a multi‑phase intelligence‑led operation that relied heavily on cooperation from the Malian diaspora and the victims’ families. One police source noted that the operation was made possible because one victim’s family initially paid a ransom, but the victim later called again after two weeks, allowing police to trace the communications. “The victim called his family back, and that gave us the break we needed. We were able to trace the call and identify the location,” the source said.
The President of the Malian Citizens Diaspora Organisation in Nigeria, Dembélé Talibé, who signed the original petition, expressed relief and gratitude to the Nigeria Police Force. “We are thankful to the IRT for their swift action. Many families in Mali have been suffering because of these criminals. We hope the rescued victims can return home safely,” he said in a brief statement.
The Police Public Relations Officer for the IRT, while declining to give an on‑the‑record interview, confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that more arrests are expected. “We are pursuing other members of the syndicate. We will not rest until every person involved in this heinous crime is brought to justice,” the spokesperson said in a text message.
Human rights organisations have called on the Federal Government to strengthen border controls and increase vigilance against transnational trafficking networks. The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has also been notified and is expected to coordinate with the police in the reintegration of the rescued victims.
The rescue of 30 Malian nationals is the latest in a series of human trafficking busts in Nasarawa State. In December 2025, police rescued 40 victims, including Malians and Ivorians, from a bungalow in Orange Market, Mararaba. In that case, victims were also lured with false job promises and held captive. The recurrence of such incidents in the same local government area has raised concerns about the presence of organised trafficking networks operating with impunity in Karu LGA, which is a bustling suburb of Abuja. Local residents have called for increased police patrols and community sensitisation to identify and report suspicious activities.
The IRT has urged members of the public, especially foreign nationals, to verify job and investment offers through official government channels before travelling to Nigeria. The police have also provided emergency contact numbers for the Malian diaspora community to report suspicious activities.
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