In a significant breakthrough against transnational crime, the Nigeria Police Force has apprehended two high-profile fugitives—Felix Omoregie and Okwudili Sabastine Ezeje—both wanted by international authorities for serious offenses ranging from human trafficking to armed robbery.
Felix Omoregie, also known as “Eghosa Johnson Omoregie,” was arrested in Benin City, Edo State, following a coordinated operation between Nigerian law enforcement and INTERPOL. Belgian authorities had issued a Red Notice for Omoregie, accusing him of leading a criminal organization involved in the sexual exploitation of minors and human trafficking for prostitution.
Investigations revealed that Omoregie’s syndicate trafficked young Nigerian women, including minors, to Italy and other parts of Europe for sexual exploitation.
Victims 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. The network had handlers in Brussels and France who managed the victims’ activities and remitted proceeds to Omoregie.
Upon his arrest, a search of his premises uncovered incriminating materials, including a photocopy of a passport intended for a planned relocation to Canada. Omoregie had been on the run since his 2021 conviction in absentia in Belgium for multiple counts of aggravated human trafficking and leading a criminal organization.
In a separate operation, 37-year-old Okwudili Sabastine Ezeje was arrested in Nsukka, Enugu State, by police operatives in conjunction with INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Abuja. Ezeje is wanted by the United Arab Emirates for a series of serious crimes, including armed robbery, cultism, drug trafficking, and coordinating organized criminal activities from Nigeria.
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. Intelligence gathered reveals that Ezeje continued to coordinate criminal operations remotely from Nigeria.
The 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. Ezeje’s arraignment is expected to take place shortly.
These arrests are part of a broader effort by INTERPOL and Nigerian authorities to combat transnational organized crime.
In December 2024, INTERPOL published Red Notices for 14 Nigerian nationals wanted across several countries for crimes including human trafficking, drug smuggling, and organized fraud. This underscores the international dimension of such offenses involving Nigerian suspects.
INTERPOL clarified that Red Notices are not international arrest warrants but serve as requests to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest individuals pending extradition or similar legal actions. Member countries apply their laws in deciding whether to arrest a person.
The successful apprehension of Omoregie and Ezeje highlights the effectiveness of international cooperation in tackling global crime networks. Authorities urge the public to report any information about wanted individuals to local police agencies.
