The Ogun State Police Command has uncovered and dismantled a criminal network run by Cameroonian nationals who allegedly lured and kidnapped victims under the pretense of securing foreign visas.

According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Omolola Odutola, officers from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Eleweran responded to a distress call on November 4, 2025, at approximately 10:30 a.m.

The call came from a Cameroonian woman who reported that she had been deceived into traveling from Cameroon to Nigeria on September 29, 2025, by a compatriot named Donald, who promised to help her obtain a Canadian visa.

Upon her arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, she was received by members of the supposed “visa agency” and taken to Mowe, Ogun State, where she and her 23-year-old sister were held captive.

On November 3, 2025, the victim managed to escape and contacted the police, revealing that several other individuals were still being held in a two-bedroom apartment in the Pakuro area of Ogun State.

Acting swiftly, a tactical team from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit raided the hideout and successfully rescued another victim, identified as Kengne Maeva, who was found unharmed. Two suspects — Ndzana Kamga Isidore and Tingue Stephen — were arrested during the operation, while the alleged ringleader, Donald, remains at large.

Preliminary investigations showed that the victims’ families in Cameroon had already paid a ransom of 3.6 million CFA francs into a Cameroonian bank account belonging to the fugitive suspect.

CSP Odutola stated:

“Shortly after arriving in Lagos, the victim was received by the fake visa agency and taken to Ogun State, where she and her younger sister were detained. On November 3, she escaped and alerted the police, leading to the rescue of another victim and the arrest of two suspects.”

In response, the Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, Ph.D., ordered heightened surveillance to identify and dismantle similar criminal operations across the state.

He also instructed all tactical commanders to work closely with community stakeholders and Community Development Association (CDA) leaders, particularly in remote areas, urging them to promptly report suspicious foreign nationals renting apartments directly to the police.

The statement concluded by reaffirming the command’s commitment:

“The Ogun State Police Command remains resolute in protecting lives and property and ensuring that criminal elements find no safe haven within the state.”