•The suspects
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested six suspects and rescued 14 victims in two separate cases of transnational human trafficking in the state.
The spokesperson of the command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement issued today.
According to the statement, on January 22, 2026, a Togolese national, Meale Yaoili, reported at the Yaba Police Station in Ondo City that he was lured from Togo to Nigeria under the pretext of securing employment in Canada.
Police said Yaoili revealed that he was deceived by one Tchodia Potolaw Fidel, now at large, who claimed to be residing in Canada.
He stated that upon his arrival in Nigeria in 2019, his personal belongings were forcefully seized and he was held against his will after paying the sum of 800,000 CFA francs.
DSP Jimoh said the police swung into action, arrested six suspects in connection with the incident, and rescued three victims.
“Following swift and coordinated action by operatives of the command, six suspects were arrested in connection with the case. The suspects were identified as Cleude Grao, Samuel Dsiwa, Michael Amissa, Olayiwola Kazeem, Akinubi Adebayo, and Oluwole Vincent, the landlord of the premises where the illegal operation was conducted. During the operation, three victims were successfully rescued,” he said.
The police spokesperson also narrated another incident that occurred in Oba-Ile, Akure North Local Government Area of the state.
“In another development, on January 23, 2026, a case initially reported as suspected banditry was lodged by one Chief Ojomu of Oba-Ile at the Oba-Ile Divisional Headquarters against Umaru Baba and 11 others. The case was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation,” Jimoh stated.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were not bandits, as alleged, but illegal immigrants from the Republic of Chad.
Further investigations indicated that the principal suspect, Umaru Baba, allegedly operates as a representative of a company involved in online marketing of various products.
It was revealed that he allegedly lured, recruited, and harboured 11 able-bodied men and one female, all Chadians suspected to be illegal migrants, who were transported through the Cameroonian border under the guise of engaging them as commission-based marketers.
Meanwhile, the owner of the house where the victims were harboured, a female resident of Ibadan, is being traced for questioning over alleged negligence in allowing her property to be used for criminal activities.
DSP Jimoh said the suspects in both cases have made useful statements, adding that investigations are ongoing to apprehend fleeing suspects.
He noted that the rescued victims would be handed over to their respective embassies for necessary diplomatic action and repatriation.
