The police command in Ondo State says it has arrested a 33-year-old woman over alleged N42.3 million travel scam in the state.

The state police spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Akure.

Mr Jimoh said the arrest was made after a written petition dated July 17, 2026, submitted by Akindayomi Oluwatobi & Associates.

He said the petition alleged that the suspect defrauded over 90 prospective travellers under the guise of facilitating travel visas to Europe.

According to him, the suspect fraudulently obtained huge sums of money from the petitioner and numerous others between October 2024 and April 5, 2026.

The spokesperson also said preliminary investigation showed that the suspect presented herself as a travel consultant capable of securing visas to Spain, Portugal, and France.

He said, “The petitioner acting on the representations said the victims entrusted her with processing travel documents for more than 93 intending travellers. The suspect allegedly received the money through her Opay account for the purported visa processing.

“Rather than fulfil her obligations, the suspect allegedly became unreachable after receiving the funds, prompting the victims to petition the police.

“Detectives of the Police Command in Ondo State immediately commenced a painstaking investigation, deploying intelligence gathering and forensic investigative techniques to trace the suspect’s whereabouts.

 “Following sustained intelligence-led operations, the suspect was successfully tracked down and eventually apprehended on August 5 in a coordinated operation by detectives of the command.

 “The suspect is currently in police custody where she has made useful confessional statements, and upon the conclusion of investigations, the suspect will be charged to court accordingly.”

Mr Jimoh, however, said efforts were ongoing to unravel the full scope of the alleged fraudulent scheme, identify possible accomplices and establish whether there were additional victims.

He, therefore, advised members of the public to exercise due diligence before engaging individuals or agencies for visa processing and overseas travel arrangements.

“Prospective travellers are encouraged to verify the authenticity and credentials of travel agents before making payments, and to promptly report any suspicious or fraudulent activities to the nearest police station. The police command in Ondo State remains resolute in its commitment to protecting residents from fraud and other criminal activities while ensuring that justice is served in accordance with the law,” he said. 

(NAN)