Nigeria breaks human trafficking ring, arrests 12 foreigners

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced that it took down a fake marketing network linked to the QNET/IGNITE group. Twelve suspects were arrested, including the alleged leader of the group, and two victims were rescued in operations around Lagos State.

In a statement released on Tuesday, 4th August, the NIS Public Relations Officer, AS Akinlabi, said this success came from reliable information about trafficking groups working in the area.

The statement revealed that one Ouattara Adama, a Burkinabe man, is believed to be the leader of the QNET/IGNITE group. He was arrested along with 11 other suspected members. The group includes eight Liberians and three Cameroonians.

The operation also freed two Liberian nationals who were found to be victims of the group’s illegal actions.

“Accordingly, the twelve (12) suspects and the two (2) victims have been transferred to the Service Headquarters for further investigation and necessary legal action,” Mr Akinlabi stated.

The NIS described the QNET/IGNITE network as a transnational organized crime group involved in fake job and business schemes that lead to illegal migration. They urged the public to check all job, education, business, and migration offers through the right channels before making any payments or planning international trips.

“The arrest of the syndicate leader and other facilitators shows Nigeria Immigration Service’s commitment to intelligence-driven Border Management,” the statement added.

It further stated that this operation “shows the Service’s determination to eliminate all forms of illegal migration and transnational organized crimes, in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration.”

The NIS also mentioned that investigations are still ongoing to find more members of the network and other possible victims across the country.