Five people have been arrested in Italy for smuggling Nigerian women into Europe and forcing them into prostitution, Italian Carabinieri Police said on Friday.
The suspects, apprehended in the Sicilian town of Messina, were part of an organised crime racket that smuggled “at least 15’’ unaccompanied minors into “several European Union countries’’ via Libya and Sicily, a statement said.
The syndicate relied on an Italian accomplice who worked in a migrant charity.
According to Police, he would help the criminals trace the women after their arrival in Sicily and contribute to forcing them into prostitution.
The Carabinieri said they documented criminal activity during the 2015 to 2017 period.
They said “black magic’’ rituals would be performed on the young women before they left Nigeria, to force them into submission. Some of the arrested also dabbled in heroin trafficking, police said.
Sex trafficking is a well-known problem among female Nigerian migrants. In 2017, a report by the International Organisation for Migration said three-quarters of the roughly 11,000 Nigerian women who landed in Italy in 2018 may have been taken there by sex traffickers.
The IOM, a UN agency, said it was difficult to make precise estimates because most victims of the sex trade are afraid to speak up.
They are also afraid to seek assistance because they are: ashamed; submissive to traffickers accompanying them on migrant boats; or fear retaliation against their relatives.
EFCC Arrests 17 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Kwara
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC have arrested 17 suspected internet fraudsters in coordinated sting operations in Ilorin and Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
They were rounded up at Asa Dam, Al-Hikmah University area and Gaa-Odota areas of Ilorin and in Ganmo and Amoyo areas of Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
The arrests which took place on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 followed actionable intelligence that linked the suspects to fraudulent internet activities in the state.
Items recovered from them upon arrest include three luxury vehicles, high-end mobile phones and laptop computers.
The latest arrests came on the heels of that of last week that involved 47 suspects, picked up in Ilorin and Ifelodun LGA on the basis of intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities.
The suspects will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
EFCC Nabs 47 Suspected Internet Fraudsters Across Kwara
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin Zonal Directorate on Thursday, May 8, 2025 arrested 47 suspected internet fraudsters during coordinated sting operations at different locations across Kwara State.
The arrests were carried out following actionable intelligence gathered on the suspects’ alleged involvement in various forms of cybercrime. The suspects were apprehended at strategic locations, including Awolowo Road, Tanke, and Harmony Estate in Ilorin, as well as Ganmo and Amoyo in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of the State.
Upon arrest, a cache of items believed to be proceeds of cybercrime were recovered from the suspects. These include 10 luxury vehicles, 74 assorted mobile phones, 18 laptops, and a motorcycle.
The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.
…As Commissioner of Police reiterates commitment to ensure safety of lives and property
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED: H&H
On January 25, 2025, at about 1900hrs, the Area Commander, Sagamu received a distress call from commuters travelling along Sagamu-Ijebu Ode Expressway of an ongoing armed robbery near Ilishan, Ogun State. Acting swiftly, the Area Commander mobilized a crack team of officers to the scene.
Upon arrival, officers discovered that a group of unidentified gunmen had set up a roadblock using an articulated truck, indiscriminately opening fire on unarmed passengers, causing widespread panic. In the ensuing chaos, three commuters – Bolaji Bilesanmi ‘m’, 65yrs Olasunkanmi Idowu ‘m’ 50yrs, and Mohammed Salisu ‘m’ (age unknown) were abducted into the forest from two vehicles (1) Honda Pilot (Registration No. Lagos EKY113GZ) and (2) Honda Accord Car (Registration No. Lagos KJA13QFA).
SWIFT POLICE INTERVENTION
The Commissioner of Police, CP. Lanre Ogunlowo, PhD. directed a covert operation led by the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit. On January 29, 2025, at about 0400hrs, operatives located the kidnappers’ hideout, and upon sighting the police squad, the gang engaged the officers in a fierce gun battle. In the exchange, five (5) kidnappers were fatally injured while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
RECOVERED ITEMS
The following items were recovered from the scene: • One AK-47 rifle • Ten rounds of 5.6mm calibre ammunition • ₦5.2 million (suspected to be proceeds of crime) • Three mobile phones
The three (3) kidnapped victims regained their freedom unhurt. Efforts are ongoing to arrest injured members of the syndicate. The Commissioner of Police strongly warns against criminal activities, particularly among young individuals seeking financial gain through high-profile crimes.
He reiterates the Command’s unwavering commitment to an aggressive crackdown on criminals preying on innocent citizens in Ogun state.