A young Nigerian woman, identified as Adebukola (surname withheld) from Iseyin, Oyo State, has been rescued from suspected human traffickers who allegedly lured her under the pretext of securing a job opportunity in Europe.
The victim was reportedly deceived by one Mr. Femi Segun Animashaun, also known as Baba Pemiṣire, alongside an accomplice identified as Gloria. According to reports, the traffickers allegedly tricked the victim into traveling to Come, Mono State in the Benin Republic, promising her a pathway to Europe.
Before her rescue, Adebukola was said to have transferred the sum of ₦480,000 into a PalmPay account allegedly belonging to Kolawole Sodiq Ganiyu (Account Number: 7069296704). The money was purportedly demanded as part of the fraudulent process for her supposed travel.
The suspects reportedly operated using the following contact numbers:
Femi Segun Animashaun (alias Baba Pemiṣire): +229 01 57 57 43 67
Gloria: +229 01 46 55 99 25
Confirming the incident to our correspondence, community leaders revealed that the victim was rescued with the swift intervention of Mrs. Adebunmi of the Nigerian Embassy in Cotonou, alongside the support of Alhaji Mutiu Ola-Oluwa, leader of the Yoruba community in the Benin Republic.
Speaking on the development, concerned Nigerians have raised fresh alarms over the rising cases of human trafficking through West African transit routes. They urged citizens, particularly young women, to be wary of fraudulent agents who disguise trafficking schemes as overseas job offers.
“This is another reminder to our people, especially the youths, to be very careful about promises of jobs abroad. These syndicates prey on desperation and lack of awareness. May Almighty Allah protect our children and guide them,” a community source said.
Authorities have been urged to intensify cross-border surveillance and collaboration to clamp down on human trafficking networks that use Benin Republic as a transit route for unsuspecting Nigerians.
Meanwhile, images purportedly showing the suspects and receipts of payments made by the victim have been shared as part of ongoing advocacy to expose the syndicate and prevent further exploitation.
