The Nigeria police in collaboration with
International Criminal Police Organization, INTERPOL have arrested two internationally wanted high-profile Nigerian fugitives for human trafficking and armed robbery.
Public Relations officer, Force Headquarters, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi identified the suspects as Felix Omoregie alias “Eghosa Johnson Omoregie”, the alleged mastermind of a large-scale human trafficking operation.
Sebastine Ezeje is wanted by authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for series of serious crimes, including armed robbery, cultism, drug trafficking, and other organized criminal activities before his arrest by security operatives.
The police spokesman said on Wednesday in a statement said Omoregie is a suspected ringleader of a human trafficking syndicate wanted by Belgian authorities, while Okwudili Sabastine Ezeje, is a key member of a Dubai-based armed robbery gang in Asia.
Intelligence gathered reveals that Ezeje continued to coordinate criminal operations remotely from Nigeria, according to the Force.
Also, Omoregie had been declared wanted by the Belgian authorities through an INTERPOL Red Notice issued on 19th December 2023, and was arrested in Benin City, Edo State, following diligent intelligence and enforcement efforts by Police operatives.
The Public Relations officer, Force Headquarters, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi
further alleged that Omoregie is accused of trafficking young Nigerian women—including minors—to Italy and subsequently dispersing them across Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Victims of human trafficking, according to ACP Adejobi, were subjected to voodoo-based oaths and psychological coercion, with fabricated debts ranging between €20,000 and €50,000 used to manipulate and control them.
“His criminal network involved handlers in Brussels and France who managed the victims’ activities and remitted proceeds to him.
“Following a conviction in absentia in Belgium in 2021 for multiple counts of aggravated human trafficking and criminal organization leadership, Omoregie fled to Nigeria.
“Upon his arrest, a search of his premises revealed incriminating materials, including a photocopy of a passport intended for a planned relocation to Canada”, the statement said.
In a separate operation, the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, apprehended 37-year-old Okwudili Sabastine Ezeje at a hideout in Nsukka, Enugu State.
According to police, Ezeje, has been directly linked to several high-profile robberies in Dubai and Sharjah, including an armed robbery at a grocery store in Dubai Mall, a targeted hit on Al Ansari Exchange in Jumeirah, and another heist at a Bureau de Change in Jebel Ali Village.
His arrest was the result of strategic intelligence sharing and operational collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the Dubai Police.
Omoregie is scheduled to be arraigned at the Federal High Court in Benin City, while the arraignment of Okwudili Ezeje is expected to take place shortly, according to the police statement.
In the meantime, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has commended operatives involved in these high-profile arrests for their professionalism, diligence, and dedication to upholding Nigeria’s international law enforcement obligations.
He said the Nigeria Police Force remains committed to enhancing its global policing partnerships and ensuring that fugitives find no safe haven within our borders.
IGP Egbetokun stated that “These arrests serve as a clear message that criminal elements, no matter how far they run or how long they hide, will be brought to justice”.
The police Chief called on citizens to remain vigilant and cooperative in the fight against organized crime, both at home and abroad.
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