The Ogun State Police Command on Friday said its operatives have dismantled a notorious syndicate of Cameroonian nationals, notorious for luring and kidnapping victims under the guise of visa processing.
During a raid by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit on the syndicate hideout in Mowe, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, two suspects — Ndzana Kamga Isidore and Tingue Stephen — were arrested, while the principal suspect, Donald, remains at large.
Preliminary investigations revealed that victims’ family members in Cameroon had paid a ransom of 3,600,000 CFA into the bank account of the fleeing suspect.
The spokesperson for the state police command, CSP Omolola Odutola, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Friday.
Odutola explained that On 4th November 2025, at about 1030hrs, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Eleweran, intercepted a distress call from a Cameroonian national (Kengne Maeva) who narrated how she had been deceived from Cameroon into Nigeria on 29th September 2025 by one Donald M, a fellow Cameroonian, who promised to process a Canadian visa for her.
Shortly after she arrived at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, she was received by the supposed ‘agency’ which provided transportation from Lagos to Mowe, Ogun State, where she and her younger sister, aged 23 years, were held hostage.
On 3rd November 2025, the complainant escaped from captivity and alerted the police, disclosing that more victims who fell for the same ploy were being held in a two-bedroom flat in the Pakuro area of Ogun State
Acting on the report, a tactical team from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit stormed the hideout, rescuing Kengne Maeva unharmed. Two suspects were arrested at the scene, while the principal suspect remains at large.
The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has ordered continuous monitoring of similar criminal trends across the state.
He directed all tactical commanders to engage community stakeholders and Community Development Association chairmen, particularly in remote areas, to report suspicious foreign nationals renting apartments directly to the police without delay.
The command reiterated its commitment to safeguarding lives and property while ensuring criminal elements find no safe haven in the state.
PUNCH Metro had earlier reported that Ghana Police authorities rescued a 15-year-old Nigerian girl trafficked from Enugu under the pretext of a cleaning job, only to be forced into prostitution.
One suspect, Joy Ogbonna, was arrested in connection with the case, while the prime suspect remains on the run.
The rescue followed a report by the victim’s father that his daughter had gone missing. Police said Ogbonna allegedly confined the victim, forced her into prostitution, and collected proceeds from the illegal act.
The incidents underscore ongoing cross-border human trafficking challenges and the need for vigilance by both communities and law enforcement agencies.
