In a major operation carried out this weekend, the Oyo State Police Command has smashed a human trafficking ring in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
During the operation, 83 individuals and a child were rescued from a house in the Orogun area of the city.
It is unclear how long the victims have been held before they were freed.
According to Channels Television, preliminary reports suggest that the victims, believed to be nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo, were lured to Nigeria under the pretence of being offered employment opportunities.
There are also claims that the perpetrators extorted significant sums of money, reportedly in dollars, from the victims’ parents and relatives as part of the elaborate scheme.
The rescued individuals are currently at the Police Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, where authorities are conducting further investigations to ascertain the full details of the case.