NSCDC arrests three suspects and frees 24 trafficking victims in Badagry, Lagos.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has rescued 24 victims and arrested three suspects involved in cases of missing persons, human trafficking, abduction, and fraud in Badagry, Lagos State.

Mr. Oluwaseun Abolurin, the Public Relations Officer of the command, said the arrests were made on Friday during an operation carried out by NSCDC operatives in Badagry West.

He added that the arrests followed intelligence gathered through community engagements conducted between January and March.

While parading the suspects at the NSCDC Badagry Division headquarters in Ibeko, Abolurin revealed that operatives had uncovered an illegal confinement facility where the victims were held and exploited by the suspects.

The operation was led by the Divisional Officer, Chief Superintendent of Corps Gbenga Ekunola.

According to Abolurin, the victims included citizens of Togo and the Benin Republic, as well as one Nigerian from Imo.

He noted that a female victim gave birth to a baby girl while in captivity.

Abolurin added that two other female victims were pregnant.

Some victims had been missing for as long as three years, while others had been missing for nine months and six months, respectively.

“The victims have suffered memory loss to the point that they cannot remember how they got into those confinements,” he said.

He alleged that the suspects used food items injected with unknown substances to manipulate and control the victims.

“Many families continued searching for their missing relatives without knowing they were being held in an illegal camp,” he said.

Abolurin stressed that some families visited churches, mosques, and traditional shrines in search of answers.

“We have been able to smash this criminal syndicate,” he said.

However, Abolurin declined to reveal the exact location of the camp in Badagry West, stating that it remains classified for security reasons.

He urged families searching for missing relatives to contact the NSCDC Lagos State Command.

He said the command would work with other security agencies and community groups to combat kidnapping, child trafficking, and other crimes.

He added that the NSCDC would ensure that Lagos State does not become a safe haven for abductors and traffickers.

“We will do everything within our capacity to synergise with relevant stakeholders to ensure that Lagos is not a safe haven for criminals,” he said. (NAN)

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