Ogun Police Bust Transnational Fraud Ring, Rescue Nine Foreign Victims

By Odita Sunday

 

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in Ogun State have dismantled a transnational fraud syndicate, rescuing nine foreign nationals who were allegedly held under deceptive and exploitative conditions.

 

The breakthrough operation, carried out by the Anti Kidnapping Unit of the Ogun State Command, also led to the arrest of two suspects identified as Stephen Kwame and Abubakar Sulaimon at their hideout in the Owode Egba area.

 

Details of the operation were disclosed in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, who said the success followed actionable intelligence received through INTERPOL.

 

According to the statement, the operation was executed on April 6, 2026, when operatives stormed the location and rescued one of the victims, a Ghanaian national, alongside eight others who were found in similar circumstances.

 

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are part of an organized criminal network that targets foreign nationals, particularly from Ghana, with false promises of facilitating travel to Europe.

 

Victims are reportedly lured into Nigeria, where they are subsequently confined, while their mobile phones are used to contact relatives and associates to extort money under false pretences.

 

One of the victims was said to have been defrauded of a significant amount before the intervention of the police, highlighting the scale and sophistication of the operation.

 

The police confirmed that the rescued victims have been secured and provided with necessary assistance, while efforts are ongoing to reunite them with their families.

 

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the professionalism and swift response of the operatives, as well as the collaboration with international partners in tackling the syndicate.

 

He reaffirmed the Command’s zero tolerance for criminal activities and urged members of the public to exercise caution in international travel arrangements, while encouraging the provision of credible information to security agencies to curb such crimes.