By Ayo Kehinde
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have apprehended two high-profile fugitives wanted by international authorities for human trafficking and armed robbery.
The suspects, Felix Omoregie, also known as Eghosa Johnson Omoregie, and Okwudili Sabastine Ezeje, were arrested in separate operations coordinated by the Force in collaboration with international law enforcement agencies.
Omoregie, identified as the leader of a transnational human trafficking syndicate, was declared wanted by Belgian authorities via an INTERPOL Red Notice issued on December 19, 2023. He was arrested in Benin City, Edo State, following a covert intelligence-led operation.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Wednesday, disclosed that Omoregie specialized in trafficking young Nigerian women, including minors, to Italy and across Europe for sexual exploitation.
According to the statement, the victims were subjected to psychological manipulation and voodoo rituals, and forced into servitude through fabricated debts ranging from €20,000 to €50,000.
The police said Omoregie operated a vast criminal network with handlers based in Brussels and France, who managed the victims and remitted proceeds back to him.
“Omoregie had been convicted in absentia in Belgium in 2021 for multiple counts of aggravated human trafficking and criminal organisation leadership before fleeing to Nigeria,” the statement said.
A search conducted during his arrest uncovered incriminating materials, including a photocopy of a passport allegedly intended for relocation to Canada.
He is expected to be arraigned at the Federal High Court in Benin City.
In a related development, the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, arrested 37-year-old Okwudili Sabastine Ezeje at a hideout in Nsukka, Enugu State.
Ezeje is wanted by authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for his role in a string of armed robberies, cult-related violence, drug trafficking, and other organised crimes.
Investigations revealed that the suspect continued to direct criminal operations in Dubai and Sharjah while hiding in Nigeria. Notable incidents linked to him include armed attacks on a grocery store in Dubai Mall, the Al Ansari Exchange in Jumeirah, and a Bureau de Change in Jebel Ali Village.
His arrest was facilitated through intelligence sharing between the Nigeria Police, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the Dubai Police. He will be arraigned upon conclusion of investigations.
Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the operatives for their professionalism and commitment to Nigeria’s global law enforcement obligations.
