The Ogun State Police Command has uncovered a transnational criminal syndicate allegedly involved in staging kidnappings to extort ransom from unsuspecting relatives abroad, leading to the arrest of eight foreign nationals in Ogun State.
According to the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, detectives attached to the Ifo Divisional Police Headquarters, led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, uncovered the scheme during an intelligence-led operation in Adiyan Town, Agbado area of the state.
The suspects arrested include Zakaria Zawadogo, 34, from Burkina Faso; Cheik El-Mehdi, 23, from Mauritania; Suren Neta, 25, from Côte d’Ivoire; Koffi Breno, 36, from Côte d’Ivoire; Gondo Treso, 32, from Côte d’Ivoire; Kunuji Ezekiel, 27, from the Republic of Benin; Kougasi John from Côte d’Ivoire; and Hemue Blinsi, 30, also from Côte d’Ivoire.
Police said the breakthrough followed a report received on June 6, 2026, from a concerned informant who disclosed that El-Mehdi had contacted his family abroad in May, claiming he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and demanding ransom for his release.
Investigators further alleged that Zawadogo subsequently reinforced the ransom demand by threatening that the purported victim would be killed if payment was not made.
Following the report, detectives launched an intelligence-driven investigation that led to the identification of the suspects’ hideout in Adiyan Town.
Acting on technical intelligence, operatives arrested Zawadogo, who reportedly led detectives to the location where El-Mehdi, Suren Neta and five other foreign nationals were apprehended.
All the suspects were taken into custody, while the premises were secured and searched in accordance with due process.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the kidnapping was allegedly staged as part of a coordinated scheme to defraud the victim’s family. Police said Neta was found to have lured El-Mehdi into Nigeria, while Zawadogo allegedly coordinated the ransom demands and threats intended to compel payment.
The Command further stated that the supposed victim actively participated in orchestrating the fake abduction.
According to the police, the principal suspects — Zawadogo, El-Mehdi and Neta — have confessed to their roles in the conspiracy. Investigations are continuing to determine the full scope of the syndicate’s activities and any possible links to other transnational criminal networks.
The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
Commending the detectives involved in the operation, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Bode Ojajuni, praised their professionalism, discipline and swift response, noting that their intelligence-led efforts exposed and dismantled a sophisticated criminal enterprise.
Ojajuni said the case underscored the growing sophistication of transnational criminal activities and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to proactive policing, intelligence gathering and sustained operations against organised crime.
He assured residents that Ogun State would remain hostile to criminal elements and pledged continued collaboration with relevant agencies to enhance public safety.
The Commissioner also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities, particularly cases involving alleged kidnappings and ransom demands.
