The Delta State Police Command has arrested two suspected human traffickers in connection with the trafficking of a 19-year-old victim to Ivory Coast.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, disclosed the development during a press briefing in Asaba, reaffirming the command’s commitment to intelligence-driven policing and sustained operations against crime across the state.
Providing details of the case, the CP said the incident was reported on April 3, 2026, by a woman from the Ekpan community in Uvwie Local Government Area, who raised concerns after her 19-year-old daughter returned home in poor health.
According to the police, the victim revealed that in September 2025, she and two friends were introduced by a 47-year-old suspect, identified as Blessing Mongo, to another woman, Esther, 32, who subsequently linked them to a third accomplice for the purpose of trafficking them to Ivory Coast for prostitution.
The victim stated that shortly after arriving in Ivory Coast, she was injected with an unknown substance and taken to a hospital. Upon regaining consciousness, she discovered that her abdomen had been bandaged. She was later brought back to Nigeria and abandoned in Lagos, from where she made her way back to Delta State.
Following the report, operatives of the command arrested two key suspects — Blessing Mongo and Esther — while investigations commenced. The case was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further probing.
CP Oyeniyi disclosed that medical examinations conducted during the investigation confirmed that the victim’s womb had been surgically removed without her consent while she was trafficked abroad.
Adding that suspects remain in custody as investigations continue.
In another case, operatives of the command intercepted a commercial bus along the Onicha-Ugbo/Ewohimi road, recovering 490 grams of suspected cocaine, four grams of suspected “loud,” and quantities of cannabis concealed inside energy-saving bulbs. The substances were reportedly being transported to Abuja for distribution.
The Commissioner reiterated that the command will “leave no stone unturned in the fight against crime and criminality,” warning that all offenders will be brought to justice.