Police say the suspects were linked to an alleged Ponzi scheme and immigration offences after a raid on a gated estate in Onipanu-Ota

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested 23 foreign nationals over alleged involvement in a Ponzi scheme, visa scam and other immigration-related offences following a raid in the Onipanu-Ota area of the state.

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The suspects were arrested at about 11am last Tuesday when operatives of the Atan-Ota Police Division raided a gated residential building within an estate off Iyana Iyesi, Onipanu-Ota.

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed the development in a statement, saying the operation followed credible intelligence about suspected fraudulent activities at the location.

According to the command, police personnel mobilised to the estate, secured the premises and arrested the 23 suspects for questioning and further investigation.

“One Malian international passport bearing the name Diakite Alfousseini was also recovered during the operation,” the police said.

The command said the suspects were being investigated in connection with an alleged Ponzi scheme, visa scam and other immigration-related offences.

Preliminary investigations were subsequently conducted following their arrest, with the police saying the process helped determine the appropriate agencies to handle the cases.

The command disclosed that 21 of the suspects were formally handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service on August 5 for further investigation and appropriate action.

Two others remained in police custody for possible prosecution over alleged obtaining by false pretence and related offences, subject to the conclusion of the investigation.

The police did not disclose the nationalities or identities of the other suspects, beyond the reference to the recovered Malian passport.

The investigation is continuing as authorities seek to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged fraudulent activities and determine whether other individuals were involved in the suspected scheme.

The Ogun Command said the operation was intelligence-led and reiterated the importance of credible information in identifying and disrupting organised fraudulent activities.

The latest arrests also highlight the role of inter-agency cooperation in addressing offences involving immigration documentation and suspected cross-border fraud.

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With 21 suspects now in the custody of the Nigeria Immigration Service and two others retained by the police, the outcome of the ongoing investigation is expected to determine whether formal charges will be filed and whether additional suspects will be identified.