The Ondo State Police Command has arrested six suspects and rescued 14 victims in two separate incidents linked to transnational human trafficking across the state.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, confirmed the development in a statement released on Saturday.
According to the statement, on January 22, 2026, a Togolese national, Meale Yaoili, reported at the Yaba Police Station in Ondo City that he had been lured from Togo to Nigeria under the guise of securing employment in Canada.
Police said Yaoili disclosed that he was deceived by one Tchodia Potolaw Fidel, who is currently at large and allegedly resides in Canada. He explained that after arriving in Nigeria in 2019, his personal belongings were seized and he was held against his will after paying 800,000 CFA francs.
DSP Jimoh said operatives of the command immediately swung into action, leading to the arrest of six suspects and the rescue of three victims connected to the case.
“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 conducted. During the operation, three victims were successfully rescued,” he said.
The police spokesperson also detailed another case recorded 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 subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation,” Jimoh stated.
He said preliminary findings showed that the suspects were not bandits, as earlier alleged, but illegal immigrants from the Republic of Chad.
Further investigations revealed that the principal suspect, Umaru Baba, allegedly operates as a representative of a company engaged in online marketing of various products. He was said to have lured, recruited, and harboured 11 able-bodied men and one female—suspected to be illegal Chadian migrants—who were brought into Nigeria through the Cameroonian border under the pretext of commission-based marketing jobs.
Meanwhile, the owner of the building where the victims were housed, a female resident of Ibadan, is being sought by the police for questioning over alleged negligence in allowing her property to be used for criminal activities.
DSP Jimoh said suspects in both cases have made useful statements, adding that investigations are ongoing to apprehend fleeing suspects.
He also disclosed that the rescued victims would be handed over to their respective embassies for appropriate diplomatic action and repatriation.