Nigeria Police Force has rescued 30 Malian nationals from an alleged human trafficking syndicate operating in Nasarawa State, according to a report by TheCable.

Police said the victims were discovered in residential locations in Mararaba and Karu after an operation by the Intelligence Response Team on 7 May. Authorities also arrested 13 suspects believed to be linked to the network.

The force spokesperson, Anthony Placid, said the criminal group lured vulnerable young people from West African countries, especially Mali and Gabon, with promises of relocation to Europe and lucrative jobs in Nigeria.

According to the police, the victims were asked to pay processing and transport fees before being taken to safe houses in Nasarawa, where they were allegedly kept under restrictive conditions.

Investigators said those unable to produce more money were forced into staged kidnapping scams. Victims were reportedly made to call relatives in their home countries and claim they had been abducted, prompting families to transfer ransom money into bank accounts controlled by the syndicate.

Among those arrested were alleged ringleader Abdul Ngaki and 12 others identified as members of the operation, including Fatimah Kulibali, Ahmad Kasango and Muhammad Dembele.

The police said investigations began after intelligence reports on the disappearance of several foreign nationals in Nigeria. The force added that efforts were ongoing to track down others connected to the network and ensure prosecution.