Nigerian Police Bolster Global Security With Arrest Of Two International Fugitives

By Onoja Baba

Nigeria has reinforced its growing reputation as a key player in global security, with the arrest of two internationally wanted fugitives, further strengthening international trust in the country’s law enforcement capabilities.

The Nigeria Police Force announced the arrest of Felix Omoregie, alias Eghosa Johnson Omoregie, a notorious human trafficker wanted by Belgium, and Okwudili Sabastine Ezeje, a dangerous armed robbery suspect linked to several high-profile heists in the United Arab Emirates.

Their capture, achieved through robust intelligence sharing and cooperation with INTERPOL, Belgian authorities, and the Dubai Police, marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s commitment to international policing standards and its refusal to serve as a sanctuary for transnational criminals.

Felix Omoregie was apprehended in Benin City, Edo State, months after a Red Notice was issued by INTERPOL at Belgium’s request.

The fugitive had been operating a well-organized human trafficking network smuggling young Nigerian women and minors to Europe for sexual exploitation.

Authorities say victims were coerced with voodoo rituals and psychological threats, shackled to fabricated debts of up to €50,000, and forced into servitude under handlers across Italy, France, and Belgium.

Omoregie, already convicted in absentia in 2021, had gone underground in Nigeria before his recent arrest.

Simultaneously, the Nigeria Police, working through INTERPOL’s Abuja office and in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), tracked down Okwudili Sabastine Ezeje in Nsukka, Enugu State.

Wanted by UAE authorities, Ezeje is linked to armed robbery, drug trafficking, and cultism. Despite his relocation to Nigeria, Ezeje is believed to have continued coordinating violent operations remotely, including the robbery of Dubai Mall, Al Ansari Exchange, and a Bureau de Change in Jebel Ali Village.

These operations underscore Nigeria’s increasing sophistication in countering transnational organized crime and its readiness to work with global partners to ensure fugitives are brought to justice.

Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, praised the operatives involved and reaffirmed the nation’s dedication to global security frameworks.

“The Nigeria Police Force stands resolute in upholding international cooperation in criminal justice. We are not just protecting Nigeria; we are contributing to global peace and security,” he said.