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The Nigeria Police Force in Ogun State has arrested eight foreign nationals over an alleged staged abduction and ransom fraud.
In a statement issued on Monday, the command disclosed that the suspects, believed to be members of a transnational criminal syndicate, orchestrated fake kidnapping schemes to extort money from unsuspecting families abroad.
Those arrested include Suren Neta, Koffi Breno, Gondo Treso, Kougasi John, and Hemue Blinsi from Ivory Coast; Zakaria Zawadogo from Burkina Faso; Cheik El-Mehdi from Mauritania; and Kunuji Ezekiel from the Republic of Benin.
The suspects were apprehended during an intelligence-led operation in Adiyan town, located in the Agbado area of the state, following a report of a fake kidnapping incident.
According to police findings, the case was uncovered after a Mauritanian national, Cheik El-Mehdi, allegedly contacted his family in May 2026 claiming he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and demanded ransom. The demand was reportedly reinforced by Zakaria Zawadogo, who issued threats to ensure compliance.
Police operatives, acting on credible intelligence, tracked the suspects to their hideout, leading to multiple arrests and the disruption of what authorities described as a coordinated cross-border criminal enterprise.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the supposed victim actively participated in staging the abduction, while other members of the syndicate handled recruitment, coordination, and ransom negotiations.
The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the оперативes for their swift and professional response, noting that the operation successfully dismantled a sophisticated fraud network.
He added that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation, as efforts continue to uncover possible links to other international criminal syndicates.
Ojajuni reaffirmed the command’s commitment to proactive policing and warned that Ogun State remains hostile to criminal activities.
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