The Ogun State Police Command has successfully freed 11 Ghanaian citizens who were being held captive in Sagamu due to an alleged N50.27 million international visa scam involving promises of Canadian and Spanish travel documents.
The victims, comprising seven males and four females, were rescued by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit following intelligence received on October 19, 2026.
The police said preliminary investigations indicated that a fellow Ghanaian allegedly deceived the victims with promises of facilitating their travel abroad, collecting GH₵40,000 from each of them before bringing them to Nigeria.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the operatives acted on actionable intelligence and immediately moved to the identified hideout, where all 11 victims were safely rescued.
The statement reads in part: “The Ogun State Police Command has rescued eleven (11) Ghanaian nationals allegedly held hostage in Sagamu after being lured to Nigeria with promises of Canadian and Spanish visas, in a swift, intelligence-led operation.
“Acting on actionable intelligence received on 19 October 2026, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit immediately mobilised to the identified hideout and safely rescued all eleven victims, comprising seven males and four females.”
The command said the rescued victims were receiving appropriate care and support, while detectives continued efforts to track down and arrest everyone connected with the alleged criminal network.
The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for its prompt response and professionalism, reaffirming the command’s commitment to tackling transnational crime and protecting residents and visitors.
Ojajuni warned criminals against exploiting unsuspecting people through fraudulent travel arrangements, insisting that the state would not provide a safe haven for such activities.
He said the command remained determined to ensure that those responsible were brought to justice.
The police also urged members of the public to verify overseas travel and visa-processing arrangements before making payments and to report suspicious activities to the relevant authorities.
The command reiterated its commitment to intelligence-led policing, effective inter-agency collaboration and decisive action against criminal networks.
What You Should Know
The Ogun State Police rescued 11 Ghanaians who were lured to Nigeria and held hostage after paying for fake visas to Canada and Spain. A fellow Ghanaian allegedly collected about GH₵40,000 from each victim before trapping them in a hideout in Sagamu.
- Safety for Visitors: The successful rescue demonstrates the police’s commitment to protecting everyone within Nigeria’s borders, regardless of their nationality.
- Fraud Alert: This serves as a stern warning for anyone seeking to travel abroad to only use official channels and verify all visa arrangements to avoid falling into the hands of criminal networks.
