The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered an illegal detention camp in the Badagry area of Lagos State, rescuing 24 victims, including a toddler, and arresting four suspected members of a cross-border criminal syndicate.
The suspects, believed to be nationals of Togo, Benin Republic and Ghana, were arrested during an intelligence-led operation in Itoga, Badagry, according to the Lagos State Command of the NSCDC.
Lagos State Commandant Adedotun Keshinro said the raid followed credible information on suspicious activities in the area.
“Operatives of the NSCDC Lagos State Command, acting on credible and actionable intelligence, arrested the kingpin and three other suspected illegal foreign nationals linked to missing persons found at various black spots and hideouts in Itoga, Badagry,” Keshinro said.
He added that the operation led to the rescue of 24 victims, comprising 18 males and six females.
The victims are from Togo, Benin Republic and Nigeria and were allegedly lured to the camp through deception.
According to Keshinro, some of the victims had been missing for periods ranging from three months to three years before they were found.
He alleged that the suspects forced victims to call relatives and falsely claim they had been kidnapped or injured in order to extort money.
“The perpetrators also compelled some of the victims to engage in fraudulent activities, trade in hard drugs and lure other unsuspecting persons into the camp,” he said.
Keshinro urged families searching for missing relatives to assist in identifying the rescued victims and said the suspects would be prosecuted after investigations are completed.
The latest raid comes weeks after the Lagos NSCDC uncovered another suspected trafficking and detention camp in Badagry, highlighting growing concerns about cross-border criminal networks operating in
the area.
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