The Nigeria Police Force has announced a major victory in the fight against transnational organized crime with the arrest of two high-profile fugitives wanted by international authorities for human trafficking and armed robbery.
Felix Omoregie, also known as “Eghosa Johnson Omoregie,” was arrested in Benin City, Edo State. He is the alleged leader of a human trafficking syndicate and had been declared wanted by Belgian authorities through an INTERPOL Red Notice issued on December 19, 2023.
Investigations revealed that Omoregie trafficked young Nigerian women, including minors, to Italy and across Europe for sexual exploitation, using voodoo rituals and debt bondage to control his victims. He had previously been convicted in absentia by a Belgian court in 2021 for leading a criminal organization involved in aggravated human trafficking.
ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, disclosed that upon Omoregie’s arrest, police operatives recovered key evidence including travel documents suggesting plans to flee to Canada. He is set to be arraigned at the Federal High Court in Benin City in the coming days.
In a separate operation, the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, apprehended 37-year-old Okwudili Sabastine Ezeje in Nsukka, Enugu State. Ezeje is wanted by authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a series of violent crimes including armed robbery, cultism, and drug trafficking. He has been linked to several high-profile heists in Dubai and Sharjah, including an attack on a grocery store in Dubai Mall and coordinated robberies at Al Ansari Exchange and a Bureau de Change in Jebel Ali Village.
The arrests were made possible through collaborative efforts involving the Nigeria Police Force, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and Dubai Police, highlighting the value of global intelligence-sharing in combating cross-border crime.
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, praised the operatives involved for their diligence and reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to ensuring Nigeria does not become a refuge for international fugitives.
He urged citizens to support ongoing efforts to combat organized crime by remaining vigilant and cooperative with law enforcement agencies.