Police rescue 14 victims, arrest human traffickers in Ondo 

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested suspected human traffickers and rescued 14 victims in separate operations across the state.

The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh.

According to the statement, the arrests followed intelligence-led operations aimed at curbing human trafficking and other fraud-related crimes in the state.

“In a sustained effort to curb human trafficking and other fraud-related crimes, the Ondo State Police Command has recorded a major operational success with the arrest of suspected human traffickers and the rescue of 14 victims in Ondo State,” the statement said.

It stated that on Thursday, January 22, 2026, a Togolese national, Meale Yaoili, reported at the Yaba Police Station that he had escaped from the custody of a human trafficking syndicate operating within Nigeria.

The victim said he was lured from the Republic of Togo to Nigeria under the pretext of securing employment in Canada.

“According to the victim, he knew one Tchodia Potolaw Fidel, now at large, since 2019, who claimed to be residing in Canada,” the statement said.

It added that the suspect allegedly convinced him to travel to Nigeria, claiming that there was no Canadian Embassy in Togo.

“Upon his arrival, the victim’s personal belongings were forcefully seized, and he was held against his will after paying the sum of 800,000 CFA francs,” the police said.

Following the report, police operatives 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 illegal operation was conducted.

The police said three victims were rescued during the operation.

In another development, the command said a case initially reported as suspected banditry was lodged on January 23, 2026, by Chief Ojomu of Oba-Ile at the Oba-Ile Divisional Headquarters against Umaru Baba and 11 others.

“The case was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation,” the statement said.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were not bandits as alleged, but illegal immigrants from the Republic of Chad residing in a duplex apartment around the OSOPADEC area of Akure.

Further intelligence uncovered that Umaru Baba is allegedly at the centre of trans-border criminal activities, including recruitment, trafficking in persons, modern-day slavery, and other related offences,” the police said.

According to the statement, investigations showed that the principal suspect allegedly operated as a representative of a company involved in online marketing and used the platform to lure and harbour eleven able-bodied men and one female under the guise of commission-based marketing.

“All eleven persons were discovered to be Chadian nationals illegally transported into Nigeria en route the Cameroon border,” the statement said.

The police added that the suspects are currently in custody, while the identified foreign nationals are being treated as victims of trafficking.

It further disclosed that efforts to access the premises were initially unsuccessful, adding that the landlord, a female resident of Ibadan, is being traced for questioning over alleged negligence.

“The suspects in both cases have made useful statements explaining their respective roles in the offence,” the statement said, noting that investigations were ongoing to apprehend fleeing suspects.

The police said the rescued victims would be handed over to their respective embassies for diplomatic action and repatriation.

The Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, warned landlords and property owners to conduct proper background checks on tenants and remain vigilant.

“He stressed that negligence would attract legal consequences,” the statement said.

Lawal also assured residents of the command’s commitment to combating human trafficking and trans-border crimes, while urging the public to provide credible information to aid policing efforts in the state

Culled from punch