The Ogun State Police Command has arrested eight foreigners over an alleged transnational criminal syndicate involved in a staged kidnapping scheme designed to extort ransom from victims’ families abroad.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying detectives attached to the Ifo Division uncovered the operation following intelligence-led investigations.
According to the statement, operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, uncovered what it described as “a carefully coordinated fake kidnapping scheme designed to extort ransom from unsuspecting families abroad.”
The suspects were arrested during an operation in Adiyan Town, Agbado area of the state after police acted on intelligence received on June 6, 2026, regarding a reported kidnapping incident that was later found to be staged.
The report indicated that a 23-year-old Mauritanian national, Cheik El-Mehdi, had contacted his family abroad in May 2026, claiming he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and demanding ransom for his release.
Another suspect, Zakaria Zawadogo, was said to have reinforced the demand with threats that the victim would be killed if the ransom was not paid.
Police said the development prompted “intelligence-driven investigation” which led operatives to a hideout in Adiyan town, where the suspects were tracked and arrested.
The command added that “the suspects were operating from a hideout in Adiyan Town, Agbado Area of Ogun State,” before operatives moved in, arrested Zakaria Zawadogo, and later traced him to other members of the syndicate.
Those arrested include Zakaria Zawadogo (Burkina Faso), Cheik El-Mehdi (Mauritania), Suren Neta (Ivory Coast), Koffi Breno (Ivory Coast), Gondo Treso (Ivory Coast), Kunuji Ezekiel (Republic of Benin), Kougasi John (Ivory Coast), and Hemue Blinsi (Côte d’Ivoire).
According to preliminary findings, the operation was a coordinated fraud scheme involving the simulation of a kidnapping to obtain ransom payments, with investigators alleging that Suren Neta lured Cheik El-Mehdi into Nigeria while Zakaria Zawadogo coordinated ransom demands and issued threats.
The police further stated that “the purported victim was also found to have actively participated in the orchestration of the fake abduction.”
The principal suspects have reportedly confessed to their involvement, while the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the operatives for what he described as their professionalism and swift response, noting that the case highlights “the increasing sophistication of transnational criminal activities.”
He assured all that the command remains committed to proactive policing and intelligence-led operations aimed at dismantling organized crime networks across the state.
The command also urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, particularly cases involving ransom demands or suspected staged abductions, as investigations continue into possible wider cross-border links.
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