The Plateau State Government has arrested a pregnant bar operator and another woman over allegations of trafficking three young women to Ghana for prostitution.
The main suspect, identified as Mrs. Yakubu, who runs a bar in the Rantya area of Jos, was paraded on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at the headquarters of the Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission alongside the three victims who were recently repatriated from Ghana.
Two of the rescued girls, aged between 18 and 19, are from Adamawa State, while the third is from Plateau State.
Briefing journalists, the Commission’s chairperson, Olivia Dazyam, said the agency received intelligence on the trafficking operation and collaborated with security agencies to secure the victims’ return.
She alleged that the suspects lured the girls to Ghana under false pretences and profited from their activities, which investigators believe involved forced prostitution. Dazyam also disclosed that one of the suspects’ daughters is reportedly in Ghana under similar circumstances.
The chairperson stressed that the action aligns with directives from Governor Caleb Mutfwang to expose trafficking cases and deter perpetrators. She warned that traffickers would no longer operate unnoticed and called on women across the state to help authorities combat the crime.
According to her, investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the suspects’ activities, while security agencies continue efforts to dismantle trafficking networks in the state.
In an interview, Mrs. Yakubu expressed regret but maintained that she believed she was helping the girls secure employment similar to that of her daughter in Ghana. She declined, however, to clarify the nature of her daughter’s work.
The three victims — Humata Ilya, Sendy Emmanuel, and Dorathy Yakubu — contradicted the suspect’s claims, stating that they were deceived and lured abroad under the promise of legitimate work.
One of the victims said they were told the suspect’s daughter was engaged in gold trading, only to discover on arrival that they had been pushed into prostitution.
Reports indicate that both suspects and the rescued victims have since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further questioning, according to The Punch.