Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ekiti State Command, have rescued 37 young Ghanaians from a suspected cross-border human trafficking network operating within Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

Acting on credible intelligence, the Command conducted discreet surveillance and intelligence gathering on the syndicate’s activities over a three-week period. This led to a coordinated operation in the early hours of Tuesday, 10th February 2026, which resulted in the rescue of the victims from multiple locations across the city.

Preliminary investigations indicate that several of the victims were allegedly defrauded, paying sums ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 under the pretense of securing travel visas to Australia and other countries.

Speaking to journalists at the Command headquarters, the state Commandant, Mr. Toma Matthew Enya, reaffirmed his zero-tolerance stance on crime, urging the public to continue providing credible and actionable intelligence to aid law enforcement efforts.

“We are mandated to prevent crimes and safeguard our communities, especially at this critical time in our nation’s history,” the Commandant emphasized.

The rescued youths have been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for profiling, while investigations continue to apprehend other members of the syndicate still at large.