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Sulaiman Fasasi
Ogun State Police Command has uncovered a transnational criminal syndicate allegedly involved in staging fake kidnapping incidents to extort ransom from unsuspecting families abroad, leading to the arrest of eight foreign nationals.
The suspects, who are nationals of Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and the Republic of Benin, were arrested during an intelligence-led operation conducted by detectives attached to the Ifo Divisional Police Headquarters in the Adiyan Town area of Agbado, Ogun State.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, the operation followed a report received from an informant who alerted authorities that a 23-year-old Mauritanian national, Cheik El-Mehdi, had contacted his family in May claiming that he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and demanding ransom for his release.
Police investigations revealed that another suspect, Zakaria Zawadogo, a Burkinabe national, allegedly reinforced the ransom demand by threatening that the purported victim would be killed if payment was not made.
Acting on the information, detectives launched an intelligence-driven investigation which traced the suspects to a hideout in Adiyan Town.
Operatives subsequently arrested Zawadogo, who reportedly led investigators to the location where seven other members of the syndicate were apprehended.
Those arrested include Zakaria Zawadogo, 34, from Burkina Faso; Cheik El-Mehdi, 23, from Mauritania; Suren Neta, 25, from Côte d’Ivoire; Koffi Breno, 36; Gondo Treso, 32; Kougasi John; Hemue Blinsi, 30, all from Côte d’Ivoire; and Kunuji Ezekiel, 27, from the Republic of Benin.
According to the statement, preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects allegedly orchestrated a fake kidnapping scheme aimed at defrauding the victim’s family.
Police said findings showed that Suren Neta allegedly lured El-Mehdi into Nigeria, while Zawadogo coordinated ransom demands and threats intended to compel payment.
Investigators further alleged that El-Mehdi, who presented himself as the victim, actively participated in the scheme.
The police disclosed that the principal suspects had confessed to their involvement in the conspiracy, while efforts were ongoing to determine the full scope of the operation and establish whether the syndicate had links to other transnational criminal networks.
The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
Commending the officers involved in the operation, the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, praised the professionalism and swift response of detectives led by the Divisional Police Officer of Ifo Division, CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen.
Ojajuni noted that the case highlighted the growing sophistication of transnational criminal activities and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and sustained operations against organised crime.
He also assured residents that Ogun State would remain hostile to criminal elements and urged members of the public to promptly report suspicious activities, particularly incidents involving alleged kidnappings and ransom demands.
The police said investigations are continuing.
