The Ondo State Police Command has uncovered a trans-national human trafficking syndicate operating within the state, arresting several suspects and rescuing 14 victims in two major operations.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh.
According to the statement, the breakthrough followed a complaint lodged on January 22, 2026, by a Togolese national, Meale Yaoili, who reported that he escaped from a trafficking ring after being lured from Togo to Nigeria with promises of employment in Canada.
“The victim stated that he was deceived by one Tchodia Potolaw Fidel, now at large, who claimed to be residing in Canada and informed him that there was no Canadian Embassy in Togo,” the police said.
It added that upon arriving in Nigeria, Yaoili’s personal belongings were seized and he was held against his will after paying 800,000 CFA francs.
Following the report, operatives of the command swung into action and arrested six suspects identified as Cleude Grao, Samuel Dsiwa, Michael Amissa, Olayiwola Kazeem, Akinubi Adebayo and Oluwole Vincent, the landlord of the premises where the victims were kept.
“During the operation, three victims were rescued from the illegal camp,” the statement noted.
In a related development, the command said another trafficking network was uncovered on January 23, 2026, after a case initially reported as banditry by Chief Ojomu of Oba-Ile was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation.
Preliminary findings revealed that the suspects were not bandits but illegal immigrants from the Republic of Chad living in a duplex apartment around the OSOPADEC area of Akure.
Police further alleged that the principal suspect, Umaru Baba, was at the centre of trans-border criminal activities involving recruitment, trafficking in persons and modern-day slavery.
“The suspect allegedly operates as a representative of a company involved in online marketing of various products, through which he lured and harboured eleven able-bodied men and one female under the guise of commission-based marketing,” the command stated.
Those identified include Husein Abdullahi (26), Hassan Yaya (23), Umaru Samida (19), Umaru Buba (24), Mohammed Almat (24), Saleh Abduraman (23), Musa Mohammed (22), Mohammed Watala (20), Ali Mohammad (26), Hassan Hussein (24) and Yusuf Yakubu (23).
Police said investigations showed that all the persons were Chadian nationals illegally transported into Nigeria en route to the Cameroon border.
“The suspects are currently in police custody, while the foreign nationals are being treated as victims of human trafficking,”he said.
The command also revealed that efforts to access the apartment used for the crime were initially unsuccessful due to the absence of the key holder, adding that the landlord, said to be a female resident of Ibadan, was being traced for questioning over alleged negligence.
The police spokesperson said the suspects had made “useful statements” and that efforts were ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the syndicate.
“The rescued victims will be handed over to their respective embassies for necessary diplomatic action and repatriation,” he added.
CP Lawal warned landlords and property owners to always conduct background checks on tenants, stressing that “negligence in allowing properties to be used for criminal activities will attract legal consequences.”
He also commended the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for reforms and technological innovations that have enhanced police operations in the state.
“The command remains unwavering in its commitment to combating human trafficking, trans-border crimes and all forms of criminality,” the statement said, urging residents to provide credible information to security agencies.
Fidelis David
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