Police rescue nine foreign nationals, bust transnational fraud syndicate in Ogun

By Adejoke Adeleye

Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Ogun State Police Command have rescued nine foreign nationals and arrested two suspected members of a transnational fraud syndicate operating in the state.

The suspects, identified as Stephen Kwame and Abubakar Sulaimon, were apprehended at their hideout in Owode Egba following an intelligence-led operation coordinated with international law enforcement agencies.

According to the Command, the breakthrough followed actionable intelligence from INTERPOL, which prompted a swift response by the police.

The police said on April 6, 2026, at about 12 noon, operatives stormed the location where a Ghanaian national, Maclaud Owusu, 40, was being held against his will.

The police said the operation led to the rescue of Owusu alongside eight other victims who had been similarly detained.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are part of an organised criminal network that targets foreign nationals, particularly from Ghana, by luring them to Nigeria under the pretext of facilitating travel to Europe.

“Upon arrival, victims are allegedly deceived, confined and exploited, with their mobile phones used to contact relatives and associates to extort money,” the police said.

The police disclosed that Owusu was defrauded of 31,000 Ghana cedis before the intervention.

“All nine victims have since been secured and provided with necessary support, while the principal victim has been reunited with his family. Efforts are ongoing to reunite the remaining victims with their relatives,” the police statement said.

The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the operatives for their professionalism and swift action, as well as the collaboration with international agencies.

He said the command remains resolute in its crackdown on criminal networks.

“We have zero tolerance for all forms of criminality, and such syndicates will be decisively dismantled,” he stated.

Ojajuni also urged members of the public, especially those seeking international travel opportunities, to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of agents to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes.

He called on residents to support law enforcement by providing credible and timely information, assuring that ongoing investigations would lead to the arrest and prosecution of other accomplices linked to the syndicate.