The Ondo State Police Command has arrested several suspected human traffickers and rescued 14 victims during intelligence-driven operations across the state.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, who said the arrests were part of ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and related trans-border crimes.
“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,” Jimoh stated.
According to the police, one of the cases was reported on January 22, 2026, when a Togolese national, identified as Meale Yaoili, reported at the Yaba Police Station after escaping from a suspected trafficking syndicate.
The victim reportedly told the police that he was lured from the Republic of Togo to Nigeria with the promise of securing employment in Canada.
“He explained that he had known one Tchodia Potolaw Fidel, now at large, since 2019, and was convinced to travel to Nigeria after being told there was no Canadian Embassy in Togo,” the statement said.
The police disclosed that upon arrival in Nigeria, Yaoili’s belongings were seized and he was held against his will after paying about 800,000 CFA francs to the syndicate.
Following investigations, six suspects—identified as Cleude Grao, Samuel Dsiwa, Michael Amissa, Olayiwola Kazeem, Akinubi Adebayo and Oluwole Vincent—were arrested, while three victims were rescued during the operation.
In a separate case, the command said it received a report on January 23, 2026, initially suspected to be banditry, from the Oba-Ile area of Akure.
The case involved Umaru Baba and 11 others and was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further inquiry.
“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,” the statement said.
The police further alleged that Umaru Baba was at the centre of an organised trans-border operation involving recruitment, trafficking in persons and modern-day slavery.
“Investigations showed that the suspect allegedly used an online marketing platform to lure and harbour eleven able-bodied men and one female under the guise of commission-based marketing,” Jimoh said.
The command added that all the victims were Chadian nationals who had been illegally brought into Nigeria and were en route to the Cameroon border.
Police said the suspects remain in custody, while the rescued foreign nationals are being treated as victims of human trafficking.
“The suspects in both cases have made useful statements detailing their roles, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend fleeing suspects,” the statement noted.
The police also disclosed that the rescued victims would be handed over to their respective embassies for diplomatic engagement and repatriation.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Adebowale Lawal, warned landlords and property owners to be cautious about the background of their tenants.
“He cautioned that negligence by property owners could attract legal consequences,” the statement said.
Lawal reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling human trafficking and other trans-border crimes, while urging residents to provide credible information to support security operations in the state.
