By Deborah Nnamdi
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested three suspected human traffickers and fraudsters and rescued three victims during an operation in Akure, the state capital.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, the prime suspect, a 30-year-old Togolese national identified as John Apiah, allegedly used two women, Blessing Assiah and Laro Larisa, to lure unsuspecting victims with false promises of securing international passports and American visas.
The suspects were said to have fraudulently collected a total of 1.6 million CFA francs from the victims, who were initially accommodated in a hotel before being moved to a rented apartment in Oda Town, near Akure, where they were kept under suspicious conditions.
The police spokesperson said operatives acted on credible intelligence, which led to the arrest of the suspects and the rescue of the victims.
Speaking on the development, the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, cautioned landlords against allowing their properties to be used for criminal activities, warning that such negligence would attract serious legal consequences.
Lawal reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to tackling human trafficking, trans-border crimes, and other forms of criminality, while urging residents to continue providing credible and timely information on suspicious activities to help keep the state safe.
