A police raid in Ota, Ogun State, has led to the arrest of 23 foreign nationals allegedly linked to Ponzi schemes, visa scams and other immigration-related offences.
The arrests followed intelligence received by the Ogun State Police Command about suspected fraudulent activities at a gated residential property.
Police operatives attached to the Atan-Ota Division stormed the estate off Iyana Iyesi, Onipanu, Ota, at about 11 a.m. on August 4, securing the premises and taking the suspects into custody.
What police found
The command said the operation was triggered by credible intelligence concerning alleged fraudulent activities at the location.
After the arrests, investigators began preliminary inquiries into the suspects and their activities.
Police said the allegations include:
Ponzi scheme operations
Visa scams
Other immigration-related offences
21 handed over to Immigration
The investigation quickly expanded beyond the police command.
On August 5, police handed 21 of the suspects over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation into immigration-related matters and appropriate action.
Two suspects, however, remained with the police.
According to Ogun State Police spokesperson DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, the pair are being investigated for Obtaining by False Pretence (OBT) and other related offences.
Their prosecution will be considered after investigators conclude their inquiries.
Police search for more suspects
The case is not over.
The Ogun State Police Command said investigators are working to establish exactly what happened at the property and determine whether other people were involved in the alleged fraudulent activities.
For now, the 23 arrests mark the latest development in an investigation that could widen as authorities trace the alleged scheme and those connected to it.
Police say the investigation remains ongoing.