Odita Sunday 
NSCDC Busts Human Trafficking Syndicate in Lagos, Rescues 24 Victims, Arrests Four Foreign Nationals
By Odita Sunday
The Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested four suspected members of a transnational criminal syndicate linked to missing persons cases and rescued 24 victims from illegal camps and hideouts in Itoga, Badagry area of Lagos State.
Among those arrested is the alleged kingpin of the syndicate and three other foreign nationals from Togo, Benin Republic, and Ghana.
The breakthrough followed a coordinated intelligence-led operation carried out by operatives of the NSCDC in Badagry on Thursday, June 4, 2026.
Lagos State Commandant of the Corps, Mr. Adedotun Keshinro, attributed the success of the operation to sustained community engagement and effective intelligence gathering, in line with the directive of the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to strengthen intelligence-driven operations and inter-agency collaboration in tackling security threats nationwide.
According to Keshinro, the suspects were apprehended after operatives acted on credible intelligence linking them to several missing persons cases and suspicious activities within identified black spots and criminal hideouts in the border community.
The operation led to the rescue of 24 victims comprising 18 males and six females, including a toddler. The victims, who are nationals of Togo, Benin Republic, and Nigeria, were allegedly lured into the camps through deception, false promises, and other exploitative means.
Preliminary investigations revealed that some of the victims had been declared missing by their families for periods ranging from three months to three years, while their whereabouts remained unknown.
Investigators also uncovered that members of the syndicate allegedly forced victims to place distress calls to relatives, falsely claiming they had been kidnapped, abducted, or involved in accidents in order to extort money and ransom payments from unsuspecting family members.
The suspects were further accused of compelling some victims to engage in fraudulent activities, trafficking of illicit drugs, and the recruitment of additional victims into the criminal network.
The Command disclosed that many of the victims’ families had exhausted conventional efforts to locate their missing relatives before turning to traditional and spiritual means in search of answers.
Keshinro appealed to members of the public to come forward to help identify any of the rescued victims who may be relatives or persons previously reported missing.
He assured that the suspects would be prosecuted upon the conclusion of investigations.
”The suspects will be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction and made to face the full weight of the law. This will serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements operating within Lagos State,” he stated.
The NSCDC reiterated its commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations and collaboration with relevant stakeholders to combat human trafficking, organised crime, and other security threats across the state.
About the Author
