The Enugu State Police Command has uncovered a suspected transnational human trafficking scheme for prostitution, leading to the arrest of a 50-year-old female suspect, Ibekwe Nkiru, and the rescue of a 20-year-old female victim (name withheld).

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, said the arrest and rescue were carried out on January 16. 2026, by operatives attached to the Igbo-Eze South Police Division, following swift action on credible intelligence.

He disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated the victim, a native of Abia State, was allegedly deceived into resigning from her job in Aba on the promise of a more lucrative employment opportunity in Senegal, which later turned out to be prostitution-related.

He added that on the same date, at about 7:10 p.m., the suspect, who operates from Amorji-Nike, Enugu, allegedly took the victim to a shrine in Alor-Agu Community, Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, on the instruction of other syndicate members still at large, to swear an oath of allegiance ahead of the planned trafficking to Senegal.

“Upon receiving the information at about 8:00 p.m., the Divisional Police Officer promptly led a team of operatives to the location, where the suspect was arrested and the victim rescued. The victim has since been debriefed and reunited with her family, while investigations are ongoing to dismantle the trafficking syndicate and arrest other suspects connected to the crime”, Ndukwe said

He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to ensure that all persons connected to the crime are arrested and brought to justice.

He said the CP reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating human trafficking, prostitution, and other related crimes, and urged members of the public to continue to provide timely and credible information to the Police.

Meanwhile, a joint operation of the Enugu State Police Command, the Nigerian Army, Forest Guards, Neighbourhood Watch Group, and local vigilantes has neutralised a kidnapping suspect and rescued a kidnapped victim during a joint security operation in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The operation followed a report received in the early hours of Thursday, 29 January 2026, that a male victim had been abducted by armed men in the Ezimo-Uno community of the Local Government Area.

The Commissioner of Police, upon receipt of the report, ordered the immediate mobilisation of security operatives in the area, who then embarked on a coordinated operation to rescue the victim and track down the kidnapping suspects.

It was reported that during the operation in the Agu-Shere and Okpakereke forest areas, the operatives encountered the kidnappers, who opened fire on them.

“The operatives responded with mastery and precision, neutralising one of the suspects, while others fled deeper into the forest bordering Benue State with varying degrees of gunshot injuries”, Ndukwe claimed

He said the victim was successfully rescued, unhurt, and added that the recovered items included one AK-47 rifle loaded with twenty (20) rounds of live ammunition, one extra magazine, two (2) daggers, military camouflage uniforms, mobile phones, assorted food items, cooking, and a freshly slaughtered chicken.

He said that manhunt for the fleeing suspects was ongoing and conveyed the Commissioner of Police’s assurances to the public that violent crime across Enugu State would be combated.

He said he urged residents, particularly health and medical service providers, to promptly report to the police or the nearest security formation any person seen with gunshot injuries.