Africa
Prostitution: Suspected leader of int’l trafficking ring arrested at Nigerian airport moving girls to Dubai

Uadiale Christiana Jacob, also known as Christy Evan Osagie or Christy Gold, a notorious leader of an international human trafficking syndicate, has been arrested by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The arrest took place on December 31, 2024, as she arrived from Dubai to celebrate the New Year.
Christiana Jacob, who has been operating a trafficking network across several Middle Eastern countries, with a base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been on the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)’s wanted list for the past five years. She is accused of trafficking young Nigerian girls to Dubai for prostitution and other exploitative activities.
Known by her associates as Christy Gold, Jacob had been evading capture until her arrest at the airport.
Vincent Adekoye, the NAPTIP Press Officer, confirmed the arrest of Uadiale Christiana Jacob, also known as Christy Gold, in a statement on Friday.
Jacob, a notorious leader of an international human trafficking network, was apprehended on December 31, 2024, by officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). The arrest occurred upon her arrival in Nigeria, following a request by NAPTIP to place her on a watchlist in February 2023.
The statement revealed that NIS officers, acting on NAPTIP’s request, successfully captured Jacob upon her return to the country. Jacob has been linked to a human trafficking syndicate operating across multiple countries, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where she trafficked young Nigerian girls into forced prostitution.
NAPTIP’s statement further highlighted that Jacob’s suspected accomplices—Michael Nduka, Osas Wiseman, Vivian, and a certain Prophet John—remain at large. These individuals are believed to be field officers who assist in the recruitment and transportation of victims to Christy Gold’s operation.
Christiana Uadiale Jacob, had earlier been charged in November 2020 at the Federal High Court in Asaba, Delta State, for her involvement in human trafficking. After being granted bail, Jacob violated the terms of her release and absconded to Dubai, failing to appear in court on multiple occasions. As a result, a Bench Warrant was issued for her rearrest on November 3, 2021, by the presiding judge.
Despite her attempts to evade justice, NAPTIP remained persistent in its efforts to bring Jacob to trial. The agency sought assistance from key organizations, including the Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, INTERPOL Nigeria, the National Central Bureau (NCB), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), as well as law enforcement in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to facilitate her arrest and return to Nigeria.
In the meantime, NAPTIP continued its diligent prosecution, and on March 21, 2024, Christy Gold was convicted in absentia for human trafficking by Honourable Justice F. A. Olubanjo at the Federal High Court in Asaba. The court is awaiting her sentencing once she is re-arrested and brought before the judge.
Jacob’s luck finally ran out on December 31, 2024, when NIS officers, acting on a request from NAPTIP to place her on a watchlist dating back to February 2023, apprehended her upon her return to Nigeria. .
For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook