The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of two fugitives wanted internationally for serious criminal offences, including human trafficking and armed robbery, in Belgium and the United Arab Emirates.
Force spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed the arrests in a statement on Wednesday, noting that the suspects were apprehended following coordinated intelligence operations.
One of the individuals arrested is said to be the leader of a human trafficking ring and had been declared wanted by Belgian authorities through an INTERPOL Red Notice issued on December 19, 2023.
He was taken into custody in Benin City, Edo State.
According to the police, the suspect was behind a large-scale trafficking network that lured young Nigerian women, including minors, to Europe—primarily Italy—for sexual exploitation.
Victims were allegedly subjected to ritual oaths and manipulated through psychological pressure and fake debts ranging from £20,000 to £50,000.
The trafficking ring reportedly operated across multiple European countries, with accomplices based in France and Belgium coordinating the victims and transferring proceeds back to the suspect.
He was previously convicted in absentia in Belgium in 2021 for leading a criminal organization and multiple counts of trafficking. Upon his arrest, police recovered documents including a photocopy of a passport, believed to be part of plans to flee to Canada.
He will be charged at the Federal High Court in Benin.
The second fugitive, wanted in the UAE, was located in Nsukka, Enugu State, and apprehended by operatives from INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Abuja.
He is accused of participating in organized criminal activities including armed robbery, cultism, and drug trafficking.
Authorities said that even after returning to Nigeria, he continued to coordinate crimes remotely. Investigators have linked him to a number of major robberies in Dubai and Sharjah, including a violent attack at a grocery store in Dubai Mall.
The police confirmed that the suspect is being prepared for court proceedings.
