ONDO POLICE ARREST SIX, RESCUE 14 VICTIMS IN TRANSNATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASES
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested six suspects and rescued 14 victims in two separate cases of transnational human trafficking uncovered in different parts of the state.
The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday.
According to the statement, the first case was reported on January 22, 2026, when a Togolese national, Meale Yaoili, lodged a complaint at the Yaba Police Station in Ondo City. Yaoili alleged that he was lured from Togo to Nigeria under the false promise of securing employment in Canada.
Police investigations revealed that Yaoili was allegedly deceived by one Tchodia Potolaw Fidel, currently at large, who claimed to be residing in Canada. The victim said that upon his arrival in Nigeria in 2019, his personal belongings were forcibly seized and he was held against his will after paying 800,000 CFA francs.
DSP Jimoh said swift and coordinated police action led to the arrest of six suspects in connection with the case and the rescue of three victims.
“Following swift and coordinated action by operatives of the Command, six suspects were arrested in connection with the case. The suspects were 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 carried out. During the operation, three victims were successfully rescued,” he said.
The police spokesperson also disclosed another trafficking-related incident in Oba-Ile, Akure North Local Government Area.
“In another development, on January 23, 2026, a case initially reported as suspected banditry was lodged by one Chief Ojomu of Oba-Ile at the Oba-Ile Divisional Headquarters against Umaru Baba and 11 others. The case was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation,” Jimoh stated.
He said preliminary findings revealed that the suspects were not bandits as initially alleged, but illegal immigrants from the Republic of Chad.
Further investigations showed that the principal suspect, Umaru Baba, allegedly operates as a representative of a company involved in online marketing. He was accused of luring, recruiting, and harbouring 11 able-bodied men and one female, all Chadian nationals suspected to be illegal migrants, who were transported through the Cameroonian border under the guise of engaging them as commission-based marketers.
DSP Jimoh added that the owner of the building where the victims were harboured—a female resident of Ibadan—is currently being traced for questioning over alleged negligence in allowing her property to be used for criminal activities.
He said suspects in both cases have made useful statements, while investigations are ongoing to apprehend fleeing suspects. The rescued victims, he added, would be handed over to their respective embassies for necessary diplomatic action and repatriation.
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