FCT Police rescue foreign nationals in Nasarawa after busting a kidnapping ring that lured victims into Nigeria with fake job offers
FCT Police rescue foreign nationals in a major cross-border operation that exposed a human trafficking and kidnapping network spanning several West African countries.
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In a late-night raid on Tuesday, 22 October 2025, operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command’s Scorpion Squad stormed Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba, Nasarawa State, freeing 23 victims held captive under inhumane conditions.
According to police spokesperson SP Josephine Adeh, intelligence reports revealed that the victims—14 men, eight women, and one child—had been lured into Nigeria under the guise of lucrative employment offers.
Upon arrival, they were detained by their captors, who demanded ransom payments from their families through WhatsApp and other online channels.
The FCT Police rescue foreign nationals operation led to the arrest of 14 suspects identified as members of a syndicate coordinated by Abubakar Jigiba, a transnational kingpin with known residences in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Nigeria.
His brother, Sougule Zoubere, reportedly managed recruitment and smuggling operations, trafficking victims into Nigeria through illegal border crossings.
Police said the gang demanded four million CFA francs (₦10 million) for each hostage. The victims were kept in two fortified two-bedroom flats before the raid.
All were rescued safely, except one with a minor injury who was taken to the National Hospital, Abuja, for treatment.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Miller G. Dantawaye, commended the Scorpion Squad for their bravery and urged residents to report suspicious activities.
He also assured that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing ringleaders, Jigiba and Zoubere.
This latest FCT Police rescue foreign nationals operation follows a string of successful crackdowns on kidnappers around the FCT, including a foiled abduction attempt in Byazhin Forest earlier this month.
Security agencies have since intensified surveillance across border communities in Bwari, Kuje, and Gwagwalada to curb banditry and trafficking.
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The operation has been hailed as a powerful victory for law enforcement and a warning to transnational criminal networks exploiting West Africa’s porous borders.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
