Police nab eight foreigners for fake kidnapping scam in Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested eight foreigners for their part in a fake kidnapping scheme aimed at extorting money from victims’ families abroad.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, shared this news in a statement on Monday. Detectives from the Ifo Division found out about the operation after following up on intelligence reports.

The statement said that operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, discovered what they called a “carefully coordinated fake kidnapping scheme designed to extort ransom from unsuspecting families abroad.”

The suspects were picked up during an operation in Adiyan Town, in the Agbado area of Ogun State. This came after police received information on June 6, 2026, about a kidnapping incident that turned out to be staged.

The report noted that a 23-year-old from Mauritania, Cheik El-Mehdi, contacted his family in May 2026. He claimed he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and asked for a ransom to be freed.

Another suspect, Zakaria Zawadogo, allegedly added threats, saying the victim would be killed if the ransom was not paid. This led police to start an “intelligence-driven investigation” that brought them to a hideout in Adiyan Town, where they tracked down and arrested the suspects.

The command said, “the suspects were operating from a hideout in Adiyan Town, Agbado Area of Ogun State,” before police moved in, arrested Zakaria Zawadogo, and later found others involved in the scheme.

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).

Preliminary findings suggest that this operation was a fraud scheme where they acted out a fake kidnapping to get ransom payments. Investigators believe Suren Neta brought Cheik El-Mehdi into Nigeria while Zakaria Zawadogo managed the ransom demands and threats.

The police also mentioned that “the purported victim was also found to have actively participated in the orchestration of the fake abduction.”

The main suspects have reportedly admitted their roles, and the case has been handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further probing.

Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, praised the operatives for their professionalism and quick action. He noted that the case shows “the increasing sophistication of transnational criminal activities.”

He assured everyone that the command is dedicated to proactive policing and intelligence-led operations to break down organized crime networks in the state. The command also asked residents to stay alert and report any strange activities, especially those involving ransom demands or suspected staged abductions, as they continue looking into possible wider cross-border connections.