CITIZENS COMPASS— Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Ogun State Police Command, have rescued a Ghanaian and eight other nationals who were held hostage in the Owode-Egba area.
The rescue also followed the arrest of two suspects linked to a transnational fraud syndicate.
Confirming the arrest in a statement on Tuesday, spokesperson for the Command, Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the suspects, Stephen Kwame ‘M’, and Abubakar Sulaimon ‘M’, were apprehended at their hideout in the Owode Egba area of the State.
On 6th April 2026, at about 1200hrs, following actionable intelligence received via INTERPOL, operatives of the Unit swiftly mobilized and stormed the identified criminal hideout where one Maclaud Owusu ‘M’, aged 40, a Ghanaian national, was being unlawfully held. The operation led to the successful rescue of the victim unhurt alongside eight other victims held under similar circumstances.
According to her: Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspects are members of an organized 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.
The suspects were arrested at the scene, while the victims have been secured and provided with necessary assistance. The principal victim has since been reunited with his family, while efforts are ongoing to reunite the other rescued victims with their respective families. Investigation is ongoing to track down and bring all accomplices connected to the syndicate to justice. The suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, psc, FCSS, MNIPR, commends the professionalism, tactical efficiency, and swift response of the operatives, as well as the synergy with international law enforcement agencies. He reiterates the Command’s zero tolerance for all forms of criminality and assures that such syndicates will be decisively dismantled.
The Command hereby urges 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. Citizens are further encouraged to provide timely and credible information to the Police through the Ogun State Police Command emergency lines: Gateway Shield (Toll-Free): 0800 000 9111; Emergency numbers: 0906 283 7609, 0912 014 1706, 0915 102 7369, and 0708 497 2994.
