Undercover operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have smashed an international human trafficking ring specialising in ferrying young girls from the state to some West African countries, especially Burkina Faso.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, told journalists in Uyo, the state capital, yesterday that the operatives swooped on the suspects in a hotel in the Nnung Oku area of Ibesikpo Asutan local government area.
She said, “On September 12, 2025, at approximately 10:30 pm, operatives of the command arrested three suspects in connection with a kidnapping and human trafficking case. The operation was launched following a tip-off about a human trafficking syndicate operating in the area.
“One of the suspects, (name withheld), a native of Igbanke village in Orionhwo local government area of Edo State, was allegedly sent by his brother-in-law, a suspected human trafficking ring leader based in Burkina Faso.
“He was instructed to transport several girls from Uyo to Burkina Faso. Upon his arrival in Uyo, the girls directed him to a hotel (name withheld) in Nung Oku, Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, in a mini-bus driven by one of the suspects.
“On arrival at the hotel, the girls and other accomplices reportedly locked him in a room and demanded a ransom of N4 million. Unable to pay the full amount, he was subjected to severe beatings.
“They seized his ATM card, forced him to reveal his PIN code and withdrew the sum of N111,000 from his account. They then forced him to contact his brother-in-law at Burkina Faso to send the balance.
“Acting on the intelligence, police operatives arrested three suspects – Iniobong David, 45; Edikan Samuel, 23 and Joseph Jonah Akpan, 27. Other suspects fled the scene upon the arrival of the police,” she said.
According to John, a search of the hotel room led to the recovery of some incriminating Items, including a handbag containing one international passport, a national identity card, one voter’s card, six Automated Teller Machines (ATM) cards from various banks, all bearing the name Utuk Unyime Justine.
She listed other recovered items to include a University of Uyo (UNIUYO) Town Campus Annex gate pass, three press-button mobile phones, two Android phones, two power banks and a minibus with Reg. No. KTE 867 XA.
“The suspects are currently in police custody and are providing useful information to aid the investigation,” she stated.
