- Six Arrested as Ondo Police Rescue 14 Victims of Trafficking
- Yaoili alleged that he was lured from Togo to Nigeria in 2019 under the pretext of securing a job opportunity in Canada by one Tchodia Potolaw Fidel
- The police urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested 6 suspects and rescued 14 victims in two separate operations targeting transnational human trafficking and illegal immigration in the state.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the arrests were disclosed in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, amid growing concerns over kidnapping, ritual killings and other crimes in parts of Ondo State, many of which are believed to go unreported.
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According to the police, the first case was reported on January 22, 2026, when a Togolese national, Meale Yaoili, reported to the Yaba Police Station in Ondo City. Yaoili alleged that he was lured from Togo to Nigeria in 2019 under the pretext of securing a job opportunity in Canada by one Tchodia Potolaw Fidel, who is currently at large.
He told the police that upon his arrival in Nigeria, his personal belongings were seized and he was held against his will after paying 800,000 CFA francs. Acting on his complaint, operatives arrested 6 suspects identified as Cleude Grao, Samuel Dsiwa, Michael Amissa, Olayiwola Kazeem, Akinubi Adebayo and Oluwole Vincent, the landlord of the building where the victims were allegedly kept.
Three other victims were also rescued during the operation.
In a second incident on January 23, 2026, Chief Ojomu of Oba-Ile reported a case initially suspected to be banditry at the Oba-Ile Divisional Police Headquarters. However, investigations revealed that the suspects, led by one Umaru Baba and 11 others, were illegal immigrants from the Republic of Chad.
Police said the principal suspect allegedly posed as a representative of an online marketing company, recruiting victims as commission-based marketers. Further investigations showed that the victims were brought into Nigeria through the Cameroonian border under suspicious circumstances.
DSP Jimoh added that the owner of the building where the victims were lodged, a female resident of Ibadan, is currently being traced for questioning over alleged involvement in the crime.
He confirmed that all arrested suspects have made useful statements, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing accomplices. The rescued victims, he said, will be handed over to their respective embassies for diplomatic intervention and repatriation.
The police urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies.
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