A syndicate has been arrested by agents of the Zone 2 Police Command in Onikan, Lagos, for allegedly smuggling Nigerian girls to Mauritania for sexual exploitation and prostitution.
The syndicate was captured on March 22, 2025, CSP Umma Ayuba, the Zonal Public Relations Officer, confirmed this in a statement issued Tuesday in Lagos.
“Operatives of the Zonal Intelligence Response Squad, led by SP Francis Kpoughul, stormed their base where two suspects were apprehended,” Ayuba said.
Prompt News reports that the Zonal PRO said the suspects admitted to committing the crime.
Ayuba said, “The first suspect said she was introduced to a woman based in Mauritania by another woman, who has been prosecuted for the same offence and is currently serving a jail term.
“She said the woman in Mauritania contracted her to recruit young girls below the age of 22 to be used as sex workers there.
“She added that she received ₦50,000 as commission for each girl sent to Mauritania.
“She confessed that, among the girls she recruited, was her 19-year-old daughter. She also admitted to receiving over ₦500,000 from the woman in Mauritania.”
The ZPRO stated that the second suspect admitted to being hired by the first suspect to recruit girls for domestic work in Mauritania.
“She said that, upon further questioning, she discovered the girls were to be used as sex workers and decided to withdraw from the business.
“She added that the only girl she sent to the first suspect was rejected due to her age and body size. That was when she realised something was wrong,” Ayuba said.
The ZPRO stated that the investigation is still ongoing and that the suspects will face charges in court once it is concluded.
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