The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has declared 14 Nigerians wanted for alleged involvement in crimes including human trafficking, drug trafficking, robbery, cheating, and forgery.
The Red Notices, published on INTERPOL’s website, detail charges against individuals sought by different countries where the alleged offences occurred.
List of Wanted Nigerians and Allegations
Among those listed are:
Felix Omoregie (Wanted by Belgium): Alleged leader of a criminal organization exploiting minors for prostitution.
Jessica Edosomwan (Wanted by France): Accused of human trafficking involving multiple victims and organized gang activities.
Uche Egbue (Wanted by Argentina), Jude Uzoma (Wanted by Brazil), and Chinedu Ezeunara (Wanted by Uruguay): All face allegations of drug trafficking.
Benedict Okoro (Wanted by Nicaragua): Allegedly involved in organized crime.
Ikechukwu Obidiozor, Alachi Stanley, and Akachi Vitus (Wanted by Angola): Charged with kidnapping, robbery, and illegal possession of firearms.
Mary Eze (Wanted by Denmark): Accused of human trafficking.
Bouhari Salif (Wanted by China): Allegedly involved in drug smuggling.
Timloh Nkem (Wanted by Canada): Charged with sexual assault and failure to comply with legal conditions.
Austine Costa and Okromi Festus (Wanted by India): Both face charges related to criminal conspiracy, forgery, and cheating.
Details from INTERPOL Notices
The notices specify the charges for each individual, with descriptions provided by the requesting entities. For instance, Felix Omoregie is accused of leading a criminal organization engaged in the sexual exploitation of minors. Similarly, Jessica Edosomwan is wanted for organized trafficking of human beings and concealing proceeds of crime.
INTERPOL’s Red Notices
According to INTERPOL, Red Notices serve as international alerts requesting law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest individuals pending extradition or legal action.
The organization clarified that a Red Notice is not equivalent to an international arrest warrant. Member countries retain the authority to decide whether to act on the notice based on their own laws.
Public Call for Assistance
INTERPOL has urged members of the public to report any information regarding the wanted individuals to local police authorities.
Global Reach of Alleged Crimes
The diversity of locations-from Belgium and France to Angola, India, and China-highlights the international scope of the alleged crimes committed by the 14 Nigerians.
This development underscores the ongoing challenges of transnational crime and the efforts of international organizations like INTERPOL to coordinate global law enforcement responses.
