Police Rescue 9 Foreign Nationals from Travel Fraud in Ogun State*

The Ogun State Police Command's Anti-Kidnapping Unit has made a significant breakthrough in combating transnational fraud, rescuing nine foreign nationals, including a Ghanaian, from a sophisticated syndicate. Two suspects, Stephen Kwame and Abubakar Sulaimon, were arrested at their hideout in Owode Egba, marking a major victory against human trafficking and financial fraud.

According to Oluseyi Babaseyi, Police Public Relations Officer, the suspects lured foreigners to Nigeria with false promises of facilitating travel to Europe, only to defraud them of their hard-earned money and confine them illegally. The victims' mobile phones were seized and used to demand money from relatives and associates under false pretenses, leaving the victims in a state of despair.

The rescued Ghanaian national, 40-year-old Maclaud Owusu, was defrauded of thirty-one thousand Ghana Cedis (₵31,000). He and the other victims were rescued following actionable intelligence received via INTERPOL, which led to a swift and daring operation by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

Owusu has since been reunited with his family, while efforts are ongoing to reunite the other rescued victims with their respective families. The police are leaving no stone unturned, investigating to catch other accomplices linked to the syndicate.

In a statement, Babaseyi urged members of the public to remain vigilant and exercise due diligence when seeking travel opportunities, warning that if an opportunity sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The Ogun State Police Command is committed to protecting the vulnerable and bringing perpetrators of such heinous crimes to justice.