The Federal Capital Territory Police Command have rescued 23 foreign nationals from captivity in Nasarawa State.
The victims, including 14 men, eight women and a child, were freed unhurt during a late-night operation carried out by the command’s Scorpion Squad at Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba, on Tuesday, October 22, 2025.
According to the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, 14 suspects were arrested in connection with the crime following intelligence reports that several foreigners had been lured into Nigeria with fake job offers.
She said the victims were held hostage by the abductors, who demanded ransom payments from their families through WhatsApp and other online platforms.
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A preliminary investigation revealed that Abubakar Jigiba, a notorious transnational criminal with links in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Nigeria, coordinated the syndicate. His brother, Sougule Zoubere, reportedly handled the recruitment and trafficking of victims from Mali into Nigeria.
“The group demanded four million CFA, about ₦10 million, as ransom for each victim,” Adeh stated.
She added that the victims were trafficked through illegal border routes in a three-day journey and kept under inhumane conditions in two fortified two-bedroom apartments before their rescue.
Those arrested include Bubakari Cisse (40), Karamogo Dembele (25), Musa Kamsoko (23), Amadou Traore (25), Sareba Traore (24), Zoumana Diara (23), Umar Koulibaly (26), Alasgara Sagara (20), Berthe Saidu (23), Abdullahi Napo (32), Isah Goita (26), Lorita Traore (22), Mohammed Siaaibe (23), and Haruna Dembele (37).
Adeh disclosed that one of the victims sustained a minor ear injury and had been taken to the National Hospital, Abuja, for treatment.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT, CP Miller G. Dantawaye, commended the Scorpion Squad for the swift operation and urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities through the command’s emergency numbers.
In other news, the Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a 32-year-old man, Anas Dauda, of Jalingo B area, Lamorde Ward, Mubi South Local Government Council, after a viral video showed him displaying an AK-47 rifle and making threatening remarks.
According to a statement released by the command’s spokesperson, Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, the suspect was seen in the video wielding the rifle, which appeared loaded with three magazines.
He was said to have allegedly made disturbing comments and claimed he could sell or lease the weapon for a certain amount of money.
The video, which circulated widely on social media, according to the police, caused panic among residents.
“Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, Dankombo Morris, immediately directed the Divisional Police Officer of Mubi South Division to trace and arrest the suspect.
“Police operatives swiftly acted on the directive and apprehended Dauda at a remote location in Mubi town,” the statement read.
While the suspect is currently in custody, investigations are said to be ongoing to recover the firearm featured in the video and uncover its source.
The commissioner has ordered the deputy commissioner of police in charge of the state criminal investigation department in Yola to take over the case for a discreet investigation and prosecution.
CP Morris reiterated the command’s commitment to maintaining peace and security in the state. He also warned residents against engaging in any act that could threaten public safety or contravene the laws of the land.
