The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has rescued 22 victims of human trafficking during a targeted border security operation in Katsina State, marking what authorities described as a significant breakthrough in efforts to curb irregular migration along the Nigeria–Niger Republic corridor.
According to the NIS and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the operation was conducted in Maibara village in Zango Local Government Area, a known transit point near the northern border. Immigration officers found the victims confined in an abandoned building, where they were being held before being transported across the border into the Niger Republic.
The group comprises 11 men and 11 women aged between 17 and 35, drawn from Lagos, Osun, Rivers, Kwara, Katsina, Imo, Ondo, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory. Investigations showed the victims were deceived with false promises of lucrative employment abroad and were being trafficked toward Libya, with Europe identified as the intended final destination.
The raid was led by Comptroller Haruna Suleiman-Zakirai, Commander of the Jibia Border Force, who briefed reporters in Daura. He said one of the rescued individuals is a Togolese national and that repatriation procedures are under way in coordination with diplomatic authorities.
Zakirai added that the suspected ringleader of the trafficking network, known by the alias “Cargo,” escaped arrest and has been placed on a police wanted list, with security agencies intensifying efforts to locate him.
He said the success of the operation was achieved through inter-agency cooperation, with the Daura Police Command providing tactical support to secure the area and ensure the safe evacuation of the victims.
Authorities said the case underscores the persistent challenge of human trafficking along the Jibia–Zango axis, one of West Africa’s most active smuggling routes through 2025 and early 2026. The NIS said it would continue to dismantle trafficking networks and strengthen border surveillance to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable people.
The rescued victims are receiving medical care and counselling as investigations into the wider trafficking network continue.
