The Ondo State Police Command has rescued 15 young women from a sex trafficking syndicate in Akure. The victims were allegedly lured with fake job offers and promises of social media content work.
Police spokesperson SP Olushola Ayanlade said the command’s Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT) acted on credible intelligence to raid an apartment in the Alagbaka area of the state capital. Three suspects, including one Jayeola Joshua, were arrested. Others are still on the run.
Investigators found that the victims, aged between 20 and 26, were brought from different parts of Nigeria. They were promised jobs as domestic staff, ushers, or overseas workers. On arrival in Akure, they were kept in the apartment and forced to create nude photos and videos for clients.
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Police said the operation was disguised as “relationship content” on social media to hide its criminal nature. The main suspect allegedly took the largest share of the proceeds. The apartment was rented specifically for the illicit trade.
The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Oladipo, has ordered the landlords of the property to be questioned. The case has been transferred to the command’s Gender Desk for further investigation and prosecution.
The rescued women are receiving medical care and counselling at the Police Hospital in Akure.
Human trafficking remains a major problem in Nigeria. The International Organisation for Migration reported that 11,000 Nigerian women were trafficked through the Mediterranean in 2016, up from 1,454 in 2014. A 2018 UNHCR report also recorded 18,000 Nigerian arrivals in Europe the following year, many forced into sex work.
Police urged the public to verify job offers before accepting them, warning that traffickers often exploit the desperation of young jobseekers.
