The Ondo State Police Command has uncovered a suspected human trafficking network and arrested ten illegal immigrants in Akure, as part of a crackdown on violent and organized crime across the state.
Commissioner of Police, CP Lawal Adebowale, disclosed this during a press briefing in Akure, noting that the suspects, nine nationals of the Republic of Benin and one Congolese, were arrested on July 31 at various residences along Oda Road.
The arrests followed credible intelligence and surveillance operations by officers of the command.
The suspects, some with expired international passports and others without any travel documents, reportedly smuggled themselves into Nigeria. Further investigations revealed they conspired to illegally bring 29-year-old Congolese national, Nzaou Yelica Christ-Olse, into the country under the false promise of helping him start an online business. The victim was later abandoned upon arrival.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy and human trafficking, in violation of Nigeria’s immigration and anti-trafficking laws,” CP Adebowale said. The suspects have been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigation and prosecution. The victim is safe and currently receiving support from the authorities.
In another case, a decomposing body of a POS operator, Busayo Joy, was discovered in a locked room in Akungba. The AAUA graduate had been declared missing after failing to remit N750,000 in business proceeds. Ritual items were found at the scene, and police are on the trail of her boyfriend, who is the main suspect.
The Command also arrested a notorious motorcycle thief, Michael Olasukanmi, in Ondo Town. Items recovered from his hideout included a police beret, fetish pots, and stolen electrical cables. Police say he may be part of a larger syndicate involved in vehicle theft and cable vandalism.
In Okitipupa, 23-year-old Samuel Akingbehinje was apprehended by community members after robbing a victim of an iPhone at axe-point. He confessed to handing the stolen phone to an accomplice now being tracked by police.
A deadly robbery in Yaba, Ondo, claimed the life of an Okada rider, Nwike Sabbat, who was shot dead before his motorcycle was stolen. The suspect was arrested after crashing the motorcycle and was found with live ammunition.
In a domestic violence case, a 25-year-old man, Michael Ikuedowoni, was stabbed to death by his girlfriend, Augustina Mowarin, in Okitipupa. She was later moved to Irele Division to avoid mob action and is now in custody at the State CID in Akure.
Meanwhile, police also prevented a mob attack on the motorcycle robbery suspect in a hospital where he was receiving treatment. Irate motorcyclists, armed with weapons, stormed the facility with the intention of lynching the suspect. Three of them were arrested while others fled. The Command warned residents against jungle justice, describing it as unlawful and counterproductive.
In Akure, three suspected burglars—Michael John, Yusuf Mohammed, and Samson Gini—were arrested in connection with a break-in at the residence of Justice Olukayode Arowosegbe. They confessed to multiple burglaries and theft of electrical items.
Also reported was a clash between herders and a farmer in Akungba over farmland encroachment. A 20-year-old herder was injured by a dane gun discharged during the confrontation, prompting an ongoing investigation.
Commissioner Adebowale praised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for his unwavering support for law enforcement and thanked the people of Ondo State for their vigilance and cooperation.
“These arrests reflect our commitment to public safety and the rule of law,” he said. “We urge residents to continue sharing credible information and to resist the temptation of taking the law into their own hands.”
The Command reaffirmed its readiness to provide ethical, professional, and community-driven policing, promising to give updates as investigations unfold.
