The Nasarawa State Police Command has rescued 40 victims of human trafficking, including 33 males and 7 females, from a bungalow in Orange Market, Mararaba, Karu Local Government Area of the State.
Mohammed Shetima Jauro, the state Police Commissioner, made the disclosure while briefing Journalists in Lafia, the state capital.
“The victims, mostly Malian nationals, were lured to Nigeria with promises of job opportunities in France.
“They were allegedly held captive and forced to contact other potential victims to join them in Nigeria,” he said.
According to the CP, police acted on credible intelligence and swiftly mobilised a team to the scene, where they rescued the victims.
“Upon receipt of this information, a team of police detectives was immediately mobilised to the location, where thirty-two (33) males and seven (7) females, all Malian nationals with the exception of one person from the Ivory Coast, were rescued from a bungalow at Orange Market, Mararaba, Karu LGA,” he added.
The rescued victims were later handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and necessary action.
He, however, added that the prime suspect, Abdullahi Berter, a Malian national, had been arrested after a manhunt launched to apprehend him and other members of the trafficking syndicate.
He assured that the police will continue to unravel the full extent of the trafficking operation and bring perpetrators to justice.
The State Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Sekure Ubale, who confirmed the receipt of the victims, said his Command also arrested an additional 20 Malians, who would be profiled for repatriation to their countries.
In another development, the Nasarawa State Police Command has also arrested a suspected kidnapper, Abubakar Adamu, and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from him.
The suspect, a resident of Adudu District, Obi Local Government Area, was arrested on November 24, 2025, at Kertyo Village, Obi LGA.
“Credible intelligence led to the arrest, and during interrogation, the suspect led detectives to his hideout, where one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, and 11 rounds of live ammunition were recovered.
“During interrogation, the suspect led detectives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit to his Ruga in Adudu, where a search was conducted and items recovered from him including One (1) AK-47 rifle, Two (2) magazines, Eleven (11) rounds of live 7.62 x 39mm ammunition,” the police said.
The further said the suspect is currently undergoing investigation and would face prosecution upon completion of the investigation.
The Police Commissioner in the state vowed to pursue traffickers and criminals relentlessly and dismantle their networks, assured the public that the safety of lives and property remains their top priority,
He warned that Nasarawa State is not a safe haven for human trafficking and other crimes, assuring that justice would be served accordingly.
Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.
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