Police rescue Nigerian woman trafficked to Côte d’Ivoire for prostitution

Authorities in Nigeria's Delta State have apprehended a 26-year-old woman accused of trafficking two young Nigerian women to Côte d’Ivoire under false pretenses. The suspect, identified as Ese Isiorho, allegedly lured the victims with promises of hairdressing training before forcing them into prostitution in the West African nation.

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Sustained investigative efforts and collaboration led to the successful rescue and return of the 25-year-old victim to Nigeria.

The arrest followed a petition detailing how Isiorho deceived a 25-year-old victim. Police investigations revealed that upon arrival in Côte d’Ivoire, the woman was allegedly compelled into sex work. Operatives from the Effurun area command arrested the suspect, who reportedly confessed to trafficking the rescued victim and another woman, both in their 20s, to Côte d’Ivoire. The victims were allegedly placed under the care of a woman known as Madam Purity for the purpose of prostitution.

Following sustained investigative efforts and inter-agency collaboration, the 25-year-old victim was successfully rescued and returned to Nigeria. She has been reunited with her family and is receiving necessary medical attention. Police are continuing efforts to locate the second victim, believed to still be in Côte d’Ivoire, and to apprehend other members of the alleged trafficking syndicate.

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The victims were allegedly handed over to a woman identified only as Madam Purity “for the purpose of prostitution,”

Delta State Commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyeniyi, praised the officers involved and reaffirmed the command's commitment to combating human trafficking and organized crime. He urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious recruitment schemes or trafficking-related activities promptly. This incident occurs amid broader efforts by Nigerian law enforcement to combat human trafficking, which often preys on young individuals with deceptive offers of employment or migration.

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Remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious recruitment schemes and trafficking-related activities to the Police.