The Ogun State Police Command has uncovered a transnational fraud syndicate and arrested two suspects, Stephen Kwame and Abubakar Sulaimon, at their hideout in the Owode Egba area of the state.
The Command, through its Anti-Kidnapping Unit operatives, also rescued nine foreign nationals during the operation.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
DSP Babaseyi revealed that at about 12:00 hrs on April 6, following actionable intelligence received via INTERPOL, operatives of the unit swiftly mobilised and stormed the identified criminal hideout, where a 40-year-old Ghanaian national, Maclaud Owusu, was being unlawfully held.
“The operation led to the successful rescue of the victim unhurt alongside eight other victims held under similar circumstances,” he said, noting that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are members of an organised criminal syndicate that lures foreign nationals, particularly from Ghana, to Nigeria under the false promise of facilitating their travel to Europe.
“Upon arrival, the victims are deceived, confined, and their mobile phones are used to contact relatives and associates to demand money under false pretences. The principal victim, Maclaud Owusu ‘M’, was defrauded of the sum of Thirty-One Thousand Ghana Cedis (₵31,000) before police intervention,” Babaseyi confirmed.
He stated that the suspects were arrested at the scene and that the victims have been secured and provided with necessary assistance.
The spokesperson noted that the principal victim has since been reunited with his family, stressing that efforts are ongoing to reunite the other rescued victims with their respective families.
While affirming that investigations are ongoing to track down and bring all accomplices connected to the syndicate to justice, he added that the suspects will be charged in court upon conclusion of the investigation.
Commenting on the successful operation, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the professionalism, tactical efficiency, and swift response of the operatives.
CP Ojajuni also acknowledged the synergy with international law enforcement agencies and reiterated the Command’s zero tolerance for all forms of criminality.
He assured that such syndicates will be decisively dismantled and urged members of the public, particularly those engaging in international travel arrangements, to exercise due diligence and verify the authenticity of agents to avoid falling victim to such fraudulent schemes.
He further encouraged residents to provide timely and credible information to the police through the Command’s emergency lines: Gateway Shield (toll-free) – 08000009111, 09062837609, 09120141706, 09151027369, and 07084972994.
