The apprehension occurred early in the morning, around 8:30 AM, during a standard routine search. Law enforcement agents identified 23 travelers, all of Nigerian nationality and of Hausa ethnicity. This group was reportedly en route to Burkina Faso, a common transit country in West Africa.

Upon being taken to the police station for further questioning, the migrants detailed their journey. They disclosed that they had departed from Tchaki, a locality in Nigeria, before proceeding on foot and spending the night in Boukouro, a Beninese village situated very close to the international border. Their stated intention was to reach gold panning sites in Burkina Faso, where they hoped to find employment and seek gold.

Despite verifications confirming that all these individuals possessed valid identification documents, police investigators are striving to uncover the full circumstances surrounding this journey. Particular suspicion is directed towards their escort, a 20-year-old Beninese man. Hailing from Bassila and residing in Parakou, he is currently under investigation for allegedly orchestrating this clandestine movement.

All individuals taken into custody have since been transferred to the Tchaourou police station. An ongoing inquiry aims to shed light on this case and ascertain whether it involves an organized network dedicated to migrant trafficking.