The Ogun State Police Command has announced the dismantling of a notorious syndicate of Cameroonian nationals involved in kidnapping victims under the guise of visa processing.
Command Spokesperson Omolola Odutola revealed that two suspects were arrested during a raid on their hideout in Mowe, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, while the gang leader remains at large.
The operation followed a distress call from Kengne Maeva, a Cameroonian woman who was lured into Nigeria on 29 September 2025 by a man named Donald, who promised to secure a Canadian visa for her.
Instead, Maeva and her younger sister were held hostage in a two-bedroom flat in Pakuro, Ogun State.
Maeva managed to escape captivity on 3 November 2025 and alerted the police, revealing that other victims were also being held. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of suspects Ndzana Kamga Isidore and Tingue Stephen.
The police confirmed that the victims’ families in Cameroon had paid a ransom of 3.6 million CFA francs into the fleeing suspect’s bank account.
“Upon arrival at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, the victims were received by the fake agency, which transported them to Mowe, Ogun State, where they were held,” Odutola explained.
Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has directed enhanced surveillance of similar criminal activities across the state and instructed tactical commanders to work closely with community leaders, particularly in remote areas, to monitor suspicious foreign nationals renting properties.
