Ondo police bust sex trafficking ring, rescue 15 young women, arrest three suspects

Ondo State authorities have dismantled a sex trafficking syndicate, rescuing at least 15 young women who were allegedly lured with promises of legitimate employment. Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the network, with police continuing efforts to apprehend others involved.

According to a statement from Olushola Ayanlade, spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, the operation targeted a group exploiting women under the guise of job offers and social media content creation. “Acting on credible intelligence, our Special Weapons and Tactics Unit arrested Jayeola Joshua from Alagbaka, Akure, alongside two accomplices,” Ayanlade said on Sunday, noting that investigations are ongoing to identify additional members of the syndicate.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that victims, aged between 20 and 26, were recruited from across Nigeria with promises of domestic work, ushering services, and overseas placements. Upon arrival in Akure, the women were reportedly housed in an Alagbaka apartment that served as the operational base for their exploitation.

Sources indicated that the victims were coerced into producing explicit photos and videos, which were subsequently sold to clients seeking sexual services. The main suspect allegedly pocketed the largest share of the proceeds, while the scheme was falsely presented as producing “relationship content” for social media, concealing its criminal nature.

Investigators also disclosed that the apartment had been deliberately rented to facilitate these activities. “We have summoned the landlords for questioning as part of the ongoing probe,” the police spokesperson added.

The incident underscores the persistent challenge of human trafficking in Nigeria. According to the International Organisation for Migration, roughly 11,000 Nigerian women were trafficked via the Mediterranean in 2016, a sharp increase from 1,454 in 2014, predominantly into sex work. A 2018 UNHCR report documented about 18,000 Nigerian migrants arriving in Europe through the Mediterranean in 2017, while a 2019 UNDP study noted that Nigerians accounted for 17 percent of all African migrants to Europe.

Authorities have appealed to the public to report suspicious recruitment activities and promised that the investigation would continue until all syndicate members are brought to justice.