Law enforcement agents from the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have successfully dismantled a transnational human trafficking network involved in smuggling young girls from the state to various West African nations, with a particular focus on Burkina Faso.
At a press briefing held at the Command’s headquarters in Uyo on Tuesday, DSP Timfon John, the Command’s spokesperson, revealed that the suspects were apprehended at a hotel located in the Nnung Oku vicinity of Ibesikpo Asutan local government area.
“On the night of September 12, 2025, around 10:30 pm, our officers arrested three individuals linked to a case of kidnapping and human trafficking. This operation was initiated following credible intelligence about a trafficking syndicate active in the region,” he stated.
DSP John explained that one of the detainees, whose identity is withheld, hails from Igbanke Village in Orionhwo local government area of Edo State. He was reportedly dispatched by his brother-in-law, believed to be the mastermind of the trafficking ring based in Burkina Faso, to facilitate the movement of several girls from Uyo to the neighboring country.
Upon arriving in Uyo, the suspect was guided by the girls to the designated hotel, traveling in a mini-bus driven by one of the victims.
“Once at the hotel, the girls and their accomplices confined him to a room and demanded a ransom of four million naira. When he was unable to meet the full demand, he was subjected to harsh physical abuse,” DSP John recounted.
“They confiscated his ATM card, coerced him into disclosing his PIN, and withdrew 111,000 naira from his account,” he added.
“Subsequently, they forced him to contact his brother-in-law in Burkina Faso to send the outstanding ransom,” the spokesperson continued.
Acting on this intelligence, police officers promptly intervened and detained three suspects identified as Iniobong David, aged 45; Edikan Samuel, 23; and Joseph Jonah Akpan, 27.
“Other members of the trafficking group escaped when the police arrived,” DSP John noted.
During a search of the hotel room, authorities recovered several incriminating items, including a handbag containing an international passport, a national identity card, a voter’s card, and six ATM cards from different banks, all registered to Utuk Unyime Justine.
Additional items seized included a University of Uyo (UNIUYO) Town Campus Annex gate pass, three basic mobile phones, two Android smartphones, two power banks, and a mini-bus with registration number KTE 867 XA.
The police spokesperson confirmed that the suspects remain in custody, cooperating with investigators to provide valuable information, while efforts continue to track down other fugitives linked to the case.
