No fewer than eight foreign nationals have been arrested by operatives attached to the Ifo Division of the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly faking a kidnap to extort ransom from their families abroad.
The suspects, seven men and one woman: are Zakaria Zawadogo, 34, from Burkina Faso; Cheik El-Mehdi, 23, from Mauritania; Suren Neta, 25, from Côte d’Ivoire; Koffi Breno, 36; and Gondo Treso, 32, both from Côte d’Ivoire.
Others include Kunuji Ezekiel, 27, from the Republic of Benin; Kougasi John from Côte d’Ivoire; and Hemue Blinsi, 30, also from Côte d’Ivoire.
DAILY POST gathered that they were arrested during an intelligence-led operation in Adiyan Town, Agbado Area of Ogun State, following a report received on June 6, 2026, that a 23-year-old Mauritanian national, Cheik El-Mehdi, had contacted his family abroad, claiming he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and demanding ransom for his release.
Shortly after, another suspect, Zakaria Zawadogo, allegedly reinforced the demand with threats that the victim would be killed if the ransom was not paid.
Upon receiving the information, officers led by CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, the Divisional Police Officer, activated an intelligence-driven investigation, which led to the discovery of the suspects’ location.
Confirming the arrest on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, stated that uncovering the suspects’ location prevented what could have resulted in a successful cross-border financial crime.
Babaseyi noted that Zakaria Zawadogo was arrested and subsequently led detectives to the syndicate’s hideout, resulting in the arrest of Cheik El-Mehdi, Suren Neta and five others.
He said, “Technical intelligence reports revealed that the suspects were operating from a hideout in Adiyan Town, Agbado Area of Ogun State.
“All suspects were taken into custody, while the premises were secured and thoroughly searched in line with due process.”
According to him, preliminary findings revealed that the operation was a coordinated criminal enterprise involving the deliberate staging of a kidnapping scenario to defraud the victim’s family.
The police spokesman disclosed that one of the suspects, Suren Neta, allegedly lured Cheik El-Mehdi into Nigeria, while Zakaria coordinated the ransom demands and issued threats to compel payment.
“The purported victim was also found to have actively participated in the orchestration of the fake abduction. The principal suspects, Zakaria Zawadogo, Cheik El-Mehdi and Suren Neta, have all confessed to their involvement in the conspiracy, while further investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of the syndicate’s operations and possible links to other transnational criminal networks,” he added.
Babaseyi stressed that the case highlighted the increasing sophistication of transnational criminal activities and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to proactive policing, intelligence gathering and sustained operations against organised crime.
He also reassured members of the public that Ogun State remains a hostile environment for criminal elements and that the command would continue to strengthen internal and cross-border collaboration to ensure public safety.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities, particularly cases involving staged kidnappings or ransom demands.
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