3 Suspects Nabbed Over Bid To Traffick Akwa Ibom Girls To Burkina Faso

Undercover operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command person smashed an planetary quality trafficking ringing specialising successful ferrying young girls from the authorities to immoderate West African countries, particularly Burkina Faso.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, told journalists successful Uyo, the authorities capital, yesterday that the operatives swooped connected the suspects successful a edifice successful the Nnung Oku country of Ibesikpo Asutan section authorities area.

She said, “On September 12, 2025, astatine astir 10:30 pm, operatives of the bid arrested 3 suspects successful transportation with a kidnapping and quality trafficking case. The cognition was launched pursuing a tip-off astir a quality trafficking syndicate operating successful the area.

“One of the suspects, (name withheld), a autochthonal of Igbanke colony successful Orionhwo section authorities country of Edo State, was allegedly sent by his brother-in-law, a suspected quality trafficking ringing person based successful Burkina Faso.

“He was instructed to transport respective girls from Uyo to Burkina Faso. Upon his accomplishment successful Uyo, the girls directed him to a edifice (name withheld) successful Nung Oku, Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, successful a mini-bus driven by 1 of the suspects.

“On accomplishment astatine the hotel, the girls and different accomplices reportedly locked him successful a country and demanded a ransom of N4 million. Unable to wage the afloat amount, helium was subjected to terrible beatings.

“They seized his ATM card, forced him to uncover his PIN codification and withdrew the sum of N111,000 from his account. They past forced him to interaction his brother-in-law astatine Burkina Faso to nonstop the balance.

“Acting connected the intelligence, constabulary operatives arrested 3 suspects – Iniobong David, 45; Edikan Samuel, 23 and Joseph Jonah Akpan, 27. Other suspects fled the country upon the accomplishment of the police,” she said.

According to John, a hunt of the edifice country led to the betterment of immoderate incriminating Items, including a handbag containing 1 planetary passport, ⁠a nationalist individuality card, ⁠one voter’s card, six Automated Teller Machines (ATM) cards from assorted banks, each bearing the sanction Utuk Unyime Justine.

She listed different recovered items to see a University of Uyo (UNIUYO) Town Campus Annex gross pass, 3 press-button mobile phones, 2 Android phones, 2 powerfulness banks and a minibus with Reg. No. KTE 867 XA⁠.

“The suspects are presently successful constabulary custody and are providing utile accusation to assistance the investigation,” she stated.