…The police added that the suspect allegedly persuaded the victim to travel to Nigeria,
ONDO, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The Ondo State Police Command has apprehended suspected human traffickers and rescued 14 victims in separate operations carried out across the state.
This was disclosed in a statement released on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh.
The statement noted that the arrests were the result of intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating human trafficking and other fraud-related offences in the state.
“In a sustained effort to tackle human trafficking and other fraudulent activities, the Ondo State Police Command has recorded a significant operational breakthrough with the arrest of suspected traffickers and the rescue of 14 victims,” the statement read.
It further revealed that on Thursday, January 22, 2026, a Togolese national identified as Meale Yaoili reported at the Yaba Police Station after escaping from the custody of a human trafficking syndicate operating in Nigeria.
The victim explained that he was deceived into traveling from the Republic of Togo to Nigeria with the promise of securing employment in Canada.
“According to the victim, he had known one Tchodia Potolaw Fidel, who is currently at large, since 2019. Fidel reportedly claimed to be residing in Canada,” the statement added.
The police added that the suspect allegedly persuaded the victim to travel to Nigeria, falsely claiming that there was no Canadian Embassy in Togo.
“On arrival, the victim’s personal effects were forcibly confiscated, and he was detained against his will after paying 800,000 CFA francs,” the police stated.
Acting on the report, police operatives arrested six suspects identified as Cleude Grao, Samuel Dsiwa, Michael Amissa, Olayiwola Kazeem, Akinubi Adebayo, and Oluwole Vincent, the landlord of the building where the illegal activity was carried out.
According to the police, three victims were rescued during the operation.
In a separate development, the command disclosed that a case initially reported as suspected banditry was filed on January 23, 2026, by Chief Ojomu of Oba-Ile at the Oba-Ile Divisional Headquarters against Umaru Baba and 11 others.
“The matter was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet investigation,” the statement added.
Preliminary findings revealed that the suspects were not bandits as initially alleged but illegal immigrants from the Republic of Chad residing in a duplex apartment in the OSOPADEC area of Akure.
Further intelligence revealed that Umaru Baba is allegedly a key figure in cross-border criminal operations, including recruitment, human trafficking, modern-day slavery, and related offences, the police said.
According to the statement, investigations showed that the prime suspect allegedly posed as a representative of an online marketing company, using the platform to lure and shelter eleven able-bodied men and one woman under the pretext of commission-based marketing.
The statement added that all eleven men were identified as Chadian nationals who were illegally brought into Nigeria while en route to the Cameroon border.
Police said the suspects are currently in custody, while the foreign nationals have been classified as victims of trafficking.
It was further disclosed that initial attempts to access the premises were unsuccessful, and that the landlord, a female resident of Ibadan is being sought for questioning over alleged negligence.
“The suspects in both cases have made useful statements detailing their respective roles in the offence,” the statement said, adding that investigations are ongoing to track down fleeing suspects.
The police also stated that the rescued victims would be handed over to their respective embassies for diplomatic engagement and repatriation.
The Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, cautioned landlords and property owners to conduct thorough background checks on tenants and remain vigilant, stressing that negligence would attract legal consequences.
Lawal reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling human trafficking and trans-border crimes and urged residents to provide credible information to support policing efforts in the state.
