The Enugu State Police Command says it has uncovered a suspected transnational human trafficking network and rescued a 20-year-old woman allegedly being prepared for prostitution in Senegal.

Police identified the prime suspect as 50-year-old Ibekwe Nkiru, who was arrested by operatives attached to the Igbo-Eze South Division after what authorities described as swift action on credible intelligence.

According to the command, preliminary investigations indicate that the victim, from Abia State, was lured into resigning from her job in Aba with the promise of a lucrative position abroad. The supposed opportunity in Senegal was later discovered to be a front for prostitution.

Investigators say Nkiru, who reportedly operates from the Amorji-Nike axis of Enugu, allegedly took the young woman to a shrine in Alor-Agu community, Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area. The visit was allegedly arranged on the instructions of other members of the syndicate, now on the run, to compel the victim to swear an oath of allegiance before being trafficked out of Nigeria.

Police sources said that once the intelligence was received, the Divisional Police Officer in Igbo-Eze South led a team of operatives to the shrine. The officers arrested the suspect at the scene and rescued the victim before the alleged oath-taking could be completed.

The victim has since been debriefed by investigators and reunited with her family. Authorities say she is also assisting with information to help track down other members of the network believed to be operating across state and national borders.

The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department to take over the case. He ordered detectives to identify, arrest and prosecute every individual linked to the trafficking scheme, stressing that the command will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable persons.

The command urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements, job offers or travel arrangements that appear dubious, particularly those targeting young women. Police reiterated their commitment to dismantling trafficking rings and protecting potential victims from being coerced into prostitution and other forms of exploitation.