20 Ghanaians Trafficked To Akwa Ibom Rescued By Nigerian Police Following INTERPOL Tip-Off, Victims ‘Likely Hypnotise

 

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command says its operatives have rescued 20 Ghanaians, comprising 10 females and 10 males, trafficked to Uyo Local Government Area of the state.

The Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP Timfon John, who made this known in a statement issued in Uyo, the state capital, on Wednesday, said the rescue followed a formal request for assistance from the Ghana Police Service and INTERPOL.

The police spokesperson said the operation was carried out around 4:17 pm on August 18, 2025, when police operatives acting on credible intelligence surrounded a fenced compound in Obio Etoi village in Uyo Local Government Area, where the victims were being held.
John said, “On August 18, 2025, operatives of the Command successfully rescued 20 Ghanaians trafficked to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
“The victims, made up of 10 males and 10 females (names withheld), were rescued from a compound in Obio Etoi village after a joint operation following a request for assistance from the Ghana Police Service and INTERPOL.”

According to the PPRO, the rescued victims have been unable to give useful information, raising suspicion that they may have been placed under hypnosis.
“The victims presently appear disoriented and have been unable to provide useful information, leading investigators to suspect they may have been hypnotised,” John stated.
“Investigation is ongoing, and further developments will be communicated to the public as they become available.”
Human trafficking remains a persistent challenge in Nigeria, particularly in the Southern region of the country.
In July 2025, security operatives in Cross River State reportedly rescued 14 Cameroonians, including minors, who were allegedly trafficked into the state under false pretences of employment.
Similarly, in May 2025, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) reportedly intercepted 23 victims in Edo State en route to North Africa for forced labour.
In Akwa Ibom itself, it was reported that the police in March 2025 rescued 12 young women who were lured from different parts of West Africa with promises of jobs but were later confined in a hideout in Eket.
Rights groups have repeatedly warned that traffickers often use coercion, spiritual manipulation, or hypnosis-like practices to keep victims submissive.