The Ondo State Police Command has dismantled a major transnational human trafficking network, arresting 17 suspects and rescuing 14 victims in a series of coordinated operations across the state. The arrests mark a significant success in the fight against organised trafficking syndicates exploiting vulnerable migrants and job seekers.
The operation began on January 22, 2026, when a Togolese national, Meale Yaoili, escaped from traffickers and reported to the Yaba Police Station in Akure. Yaoili explained that he had been lured from Togo under the promise of employment in Canada by a man named Tchodia Potolaw Fidel. Once in Nigeria, he said his personal belongings were seized and he was detained after paying 800,000 CFA francs, prompting the police to launch an investigation.
Police swiftly raided the property where the victims were held, arresting six suspects, including Cleude Grao, Samuel Dsiwa, Michael Amissa, Olayiwola Kazeem, Akinubi Adebayo, and the landlord Oluwole Vincent. Three victims were rescued during this initial raid.
A subsequent operation on January 23 uncovered another trafficking network after a reported banditry case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department. Officers discovered 12 illegal immigrants from the Republic of Chad living in a duplex in the OSOPADEC area of Akure. Police said the main suspect, Umaru Baba, led a syndicate that recruited victims under the guise of commission-based marketing work, intending to transport them to the Cameroon border for exploitation. Eleven men and one woman were rescued in this case.
All 14 victims are currently receiving medical attention and counseling, with arrangements underway for repatriation through their respective embassies. Investigations are ongoing to apprehend fleeing members of the syndicate and to fully map the network’s operations.
The State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, warned landlords and the public to remain vigilant, emphasizing that failure to monitor tenants could have legal consequences. He also reiterated the command’s commitment to tackling human trafficking and urged residents to provide information on suspicious activities to assist law enforcement.
The arrests highlight the growing challenge of human trafficking in West Africa, where criminal networks exploit economic hardship and false promises of employment abroad to lure victims. Law enforcement agencies continue to collaborate with international partners to dismantle such syndicates and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation.
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