The Ondo State Police Command has uncovered a disturbing case of illegal immigration and human trafficking in the Oda area of Akure North Local Government.
Ten foreign nationals were arrested for unlawfully entering Nigeria from the Republic of Benin, while one of them stands accused of smuggling a Congolese citizen into the country without her consent.
Those apprehended include Atouh Joel (37), Mohamed Atta Amidou (35), Saibou Akateliwe (33), Abdul Jahao (26), Ndah Severin (27), Kumpori Ruth (19), Kumpori Martin (31), Tatiana Madous Dianne (32), Martias Sossa (22), and Ndapola Oba Giove (30). According to State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, some of the suspects had expired passports while others lacked proper documentation altogether.
Commissioner Lawal further revealed that 29-year-old Nzaou Yelica Christ-Olse from the Democratic Republic of Congo was deceived into coming to Nigeria with a false promise of starting an online business. Upon her arrival, she was abandoned. Authorities have since taken her into protective custody, and the case has been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigation.
Meanwhile, in a separate breakthrough, operatives of the Tactical Intelligence Response Squad (TIRS) arrested an 87-year-old local chief in Idanre, identified as Chief Kogbona, for allegedly supplying firearms to armed robbers. The arrest followed the capture of a gang member, Adeife Adewumi, in Mokola, Ibadan, found with a stolen motorcycle linked to a murder case.
Further investigations led to the arrest of two additional suspects: Johnson Mathew (24) from Osogbo and Disu Sunday from Ekiti, both residents of Ilaramokin in Ifedore LGA. The suspects confessed to their involvement in armed robbery and murder. Police recovered two locally made cut-to-size guns, one live cartridge, and one spent cartridge during the operation.
A subsequent raid on Chief Kogbona’s home on Odole Street, Odode, Idanre, yielded ten live cartridges. All suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.
Police Commissioner Lawal reaffirmed the command’s dedication to purging the state of criminal elements and urged citizens to provide timely and credible information to aid ongoing security efforts.
