Police Bust Syndicate Trafficking Nigerian Girls to Mauritania

Nigerian Girls Rescued from Trafficking to Mauritania

​The Zone 2 Police Command in Lagos has apprehended a syndicate accused of trafficking young Nigerian women to Mauritania for prostitution and sexual exploitation. The operation, conducted on March 22 in the Meiran area of Lagos, led to the arrest of two primary suspects.

According to Zonal Public Relations Officer CSP Umma Ayuba, the first suspect confessed to being recruited by a Mauritania-based woman—who is currently serving a jail term for similar offenses—to enlist girls under the age of 22 for sex work in Mauritania. She admitted to receiving ₦50,000 for each girl trafficked and disclosed that her own 19-year-old daughter was among the victims. In total, she received over ₦500,000 for her involvement.

The second suspect claimed she was initially misled into believing the recruitment was for domestic work. Upon realizing the true nature of the operation, she attempted to withdraw but had already recruited at least one girl, who was ultimately rejected due to age and body size.

Investigations are ongoing, and the suspects will face prosecution upon completion. This arrest underscores the persistent challenge of human trafficking in Nigeria and highlights the importance of continued vigilance and law enforcement efforts to combat such exploitation.

In a related development, Nigerian authorities recently arrested Christiana Uadiale, also known as “Christy Gold,” a key figure in an international human trafficking network that coerced Nigerian women into sex work in Dubai. Uadiale was apprehended at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after being convicted in absentia on multiple counts of trafficking.