Detectives of the Ogun State Police Command have uncovered a transnational criminal syndicate allegedly involved in staging fake kidnappings to extort ransom from unsuspecting families abroad, leading to the arrest of eight foreign nationals in a major intelligence driven operation in Ogun State.
The operation, carried out by detectives attached to the Ifo Division under the leadership of CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, exposed what police described as a carefully coordinated criminal enterprise designed to simulate abduction incidents and obtain ransom payments through threats and deception.
Police identified the arrested suspects as Zakaria Zawadogo, 34, from Burkina Faso; Cheik El Mehdi, 23, from Mauritania; Suren Neta, 25, from Ivory Coast; Koffi Breno, 36, from Ivory Coast; Gondo Treso, 32, from Ivory Coast; Kunuji Ezekiel, 27, from the Republic of Benin; Kougasi John from Ivory Coast; and Hemue Blinsi, 30, from Côte d’Ivoire.
The breakthrough followed a report received on June 6, 2026, from a concerned informant who alerted the police that Cheik El Mehdi had contacted his family abroad in May, claiming he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and demanding ransom for his release.
Investigations later revealed that another suspect, Zakaria Zawadogo, allegedly reinforced the ransom demand by threatening that the purported victim would be killed if payment was not made promptly.
Acting swiftly on the intelligence report, detectives of the Ifo Division launched a coordinated investigation that combined surveillance operations with technical intelligence gathering to track the suspects and dismantle the network.
Police sources disclosed that intelligence generated during the operation traced the suspects to a hideout located in Adiyan Town in the Agbado area of Ogun State.
Operatives subsequently stormed the location where Zakaria Zawadogo was first arrested before he reportedly led detectives to the main hideout of the syndicate, resulting in the arrest of the remaining suspects.
The police confirmed that all the suspects were taken into custody, while the premises used for the operation were secured and thoroughly searched in accordance with investigative procedures.
Preliminary findings from the investigation revealed that the alleged kidnapping was entirely staged as part of a coordinated plan to defraud the victim’s family members living abroad through fabricated ransom negotiations.
Investigators further established that Suren Neta allegedly lured Cheik El Mehdi into Nigeria, while Zakaria Zawadogo was said to have coordinated the ransom threats and negotiations aimed at compelling the family to pay.
In a startling twist, police disclosed that the supposed victim, Cheik El Mehdi, was found to have actively participated in orchestrating the fake abduction alongside other members of the syndicate.
The Ogun State Police Command said the principal suspects have already confessed to their involvement in the criminal conspiracy, while further investigations are ongoing to determine the full scope of the syndicate’s activities and possible international connections.
The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet and comprehensive investigation into what authorities believe may be part of a wider transnational criminal network operating across borders.
Commending the professionalism and swift response of the detectives, the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, praised the intelligence driven operation led by CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, noting that the successful crackdown underscored the command’s commitment to combating organized crime and ensuring Ogun State remains unsafe for criminal elements.
The police command also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities, especially cases involving questionable ransom demands or suspected staged kidnappings, assuring the public of sustained collaboration and proactive security operations across the state.