The Ogun State Police Command has uncovered a transnational criminal syndicate involved in staging kidnappings to extort ransom from unsuspecting families abroad, leading to the arrest of eight foreign nationals in the Agbado area of the state.
The suspects, who are from Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire and the Republic of Benin, were arrested during an intelligence-led operation carried out by detectives attached to the Ifo Division following reports of a suspected kidnapping.
According to the police, the investigation began after a concerned informant reported that a 23-year-old Mauritanian national, Cheik El-Mehdi, had contacted his family in May claiming he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and demanding ransom for his release.
The situation escalated when another suspect, Zakaria Zawadogo, allegedly threatened the family that the victim would be killed if payment was not made.
Acting on the information, detectives launched a swift intelligence-driven investigation that traced the suspects to a hideout in Adiyan Town, Agbado. Police operatives first arrested Zawadogo, who subsequently led investigators to the location where El-Mehdi and six other foreign nationals were apprehended.
Those arrested include Zakaria Zawadogo, 34, from Burkina Faso; Cheik El-Mehdi, 23, from Mauritania; Suren Neta, 25; Koffi Breno, 36; Gondo Treso, 32; Kougasi John; and Hemue Blinsi, 30, all from Côte d’Ivoire, as well as Kunuji Ezekiel, 27, from the Republic of Benin.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the alleged victim, El-Mehdi, was an active participant in the scheme, stressing that the operation was a coordinated effort in which Suren Neta lured El-Mehdi into Nigeria, while Zawadogo allegedly coordinated ransom demands and issued threats to the victim’s family.
The police further disclosed that the principal suspects have confessed to their roles in the conspiracy, while investigations continue to determine the full extent of the syndicate’s activities and possible links to other transnational criminal networks.
The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
Speaking on the development, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the professionalism and swift action of detectives led by the Divisional Police Officer of Ifo Division, CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen.
CP Ojajuni said the case highlights the growing sophistication of transnational criminal activities and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and collaboration aimed at combating organised crime.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities, particularly incidents involving alleged kidnappings and ransom demands.
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