Operatives of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested a 30-year-old Togolese national, John Apiah, along with two other foreigners, Blessings Assiah (22) and Laro Larisa (21), in connection with human trafficking and visa fraud in the state.
The arrests were made in the Oda area of Akure South Local Government.
According to Jimoh Abayomi, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ondo State, Apiah allegedly orchestrated the scheme, using the two female accomplices to lure victims into Nigeria under false pretences.
The police said three victims – Kanate Dekadja (35), Charity Paketerima (27), and Mohammed Assiah (25) – were reportedly extorted for 1.6 million CFA under the guise of assisting them to obtain international passports and American visas.
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The victims were rescued after police received credible intelligence that they were being held in an apartment in Oda town under suspicious circumstances. The command acted swiftly to secure their release and apprehend the suspects.
PPRO Abayomi emphasized that the Commissioner of Police has repeatedly warned landlords and property owners to carry out proper background checks on prospective tenants and exercise vigilance to prevent their properties from being used for criminal activities.
He noted that failure to do so could attract serious legal consequences.
The suspects are currently in police custody, and investigations into the scope of the operation are ongoing. Police have assured the public of continued vigilance against human trafficking and related criminal schemes in Ondo State.