Ogun State Police Bust Ponzi Scheme, Visa Scam Ring, Capture 23 Foreigners

Ogun State Police arrested 23 foreign nationals Tuesday, August 4, 2026, during a raid on a gated residential building in Onipanu-Ota. Officers investigated an alleged Ponzi scheme, visa scam and other immigration-related offences.

The Atan-Ota Division carried out the operation at about 11:00 a.m. after receiving what police described as credible intelligence. The building stood within an estate off Iyana Iyesi, in Ogun State.

DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, the police command’s public relations officer, said investigators recovered one Malian international passport bearing the name Diakite Alfousseini. Police have not announced a court filing in the case.

The suspects have now been divided between two agencies. Twenty-one were handed to the Nigeria Immigration Service on August 5 for further immigration investigation and appropriate action. Police retained two others for possible prosecution.

Babaseyi described the retained suspects’ alleged offences as Obtaining by False Pretence and related crimes. He said the police investigation would continue.

“Following preliminary investigation, 21 of the suspects were formally handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service on August 5, 2026, for further immigration-related investigation and appropriate action. Two suspects were retained by the Police for prosecution in connection with Obtaining by False Pretence (OBT) and other related offences, subject to the conclusion of investigation.”

The handover places the immigration status of most of the group under review. Officials are vetting whether the 21 entered Nigeria legally or overstayed their permits.

Police are tracing how the residential operation worked

Investigators suspect the group used the property to solicit victims for fraudulent investments and promised assistance with international travel visas. The operation has been described as transnational, although authorities are still establishing the full circumstances and identifying other people connected to it.

The number of victims in this case remains under investigation. Previous similar rings in the region allegedly took more than ₦500 million from hundreds of victims, but police have not linked that figure to the August 4 arrests.

Gated estates around Ota have faced increased scrutiny from security agencies. Authorities have flagged some residential properties as possible bases for cybercrime and false-pretence operations.

Babaseyi said investigators were working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged fraud. The inquiry also seeks to identify any additional people connected with the scheme.

Two suspects could face criminal proceedings

Police retained two suspects while the investigation proceeds. Their possible prosecution depends on the completion of the inquiry into alleged Obtaining by False Pretence and related offences.

The other 21 remain with the immigration service for a separate examination of their status. That process may address residency, entry records and permit compliance.

The police announcement did not identify a court, a charge number or a date for arraignment. The case therefore remains at the investigation stage based on the information released by authorities.

A recovered passport could form part of the evidence examined by investigators, but its presence alone does not establish criminal liability. The eventual handling of the case will depend on the evidence gathered and any charges filed.

The arrest follows other visa-related investigations in Ogun

The command’s operation came amid other investigations involving alleged travel-document fraud in the region. On August 7, 2026, police arrested a suspect identified as Ayomide in a separate alleged visa-fraud case.

In early 2025, authorities apprehended Elizabeth Thamson over allegations that she defrauded victims of ₦8.5 million by promising Canadian work visas. That case involved a woman and a different alleged operation.

The command also reported rescuing nine foreign nationals in April 2026 from another syndicate in Owode Egba. That group allegedly lured victims, primarily from Ghana, with promises of travel to Europe.

Those incidents provide regional context, but they do not establish that the earlier suspects or victims belonged to the group arrested on August 4. Investigators must still determine the current operation’s participants, victims and financial trail.

The authorities’ next steps will include the immigration service’s review of the 21 transferred nationals and the police inquiry into the two retained suspects. The investigation is expected to determine whether further arrests or court proceedings follow.

This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.