A heavily pregnant woman who runs a bar in the Rantiya area of Jos South local government area of Plateau State, has been arrested by the state government for allegedly trafficking three young girls to Ghana for prostitution.
The suspect, simply identified as Mrs. Yakubu, was paraded on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at the Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, SGEOC’s headquarters in Jos, alongside another woman and the rescued victims by Chairperson of the Commission, Olivia Dazyam.
While briefing journalsits, Dazyam said the girls were rescued in Ghana and repatriated to Nigeria.
Dazyam stated that the girls who gave their names as Humata Ilya, Sendy Emmanuel, and Dorathy Yakubu aged between 18 and 19, confessed that Mrs. Yakubu lured them to Ghana with the promise of lucrative jobs only to be forced into prostitution.
She stated that the victims, two from Adamawa and one from Plateau, were made to swear to an oath and had to undergo some rituals that they will not betray Mrs.Yakubu.
She noted that the Commission received information about the trafficking and worked with security agencies to repatriate the girls.
“At the state Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, we received information about a woman that caused the movement of two girls from Plateau State to Ghana. God helped the two girls, and they were able to get back to Jos with the help of the security agencies,” Dazyam said.
She added that the suspects trafficked the girls to Ghana for prostitution after receiving ‘blood money’ from the victims’ activities.
“We want to let the people of Plateau State know that traffickers are living in our communities. Why would you want to send young girls to Ghana to go and do what,” Dazyam said.
“As a matter of fact, two women were involved in the trafficking. One woman has also caused the trafficking of two girls from Mangu to Ghana. One escaped, and by the grace of God, she’s back safely now.
“I do not know whether they have any excuse whether to say this is out of ignorance. There has been a lot of sensitisation out there. Why would you want to send young girls to Ghana to go and do what? As we speak, one of the suspects, her own daughter 18 or 19-year-old girl, is in Ghana. What is she doing in Ghana?” the SGEOC Chairperson queried.
In a brief interview with newsmen, Mrs. Yakubu confessed to the crime but expressed regret over her actions, claiming she was only helping the girls secure employment like her daughter who is also based in Ghana, but however, refused to specify the nature of her daughter’s work in the West African country.
