Odita Sunday 
Ogun Police Bust Transnational Fake Kidnap Syndicate, Arrest Eight Foreign Nationals Over Ransom Scam
The Ogun State Police Command has uncovered and dismantled a transnational criminal syndicate that allegedly staged a fake kidnapping to extort ransom from unsuspecting family members abroad, leading to the arrest of eight foreign nationals in Ogun State.
The suspects, arrested during an intelligence-led operation in Adiyan Town, Agbado area of the state, are believed to have orchestrated a carefully coordinated abduction drama aimed at defrauding relatives of a purported victim living outside Nigeria.
Police identified the 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 was achieved by detectives attached to the Ifo Division of the Ogun State Police Command under the leadership of CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, following credible intelligence and sustained surveillance into what initially appeared to be a genuine kidnapping case.
According to the Command, the investigation began after a report was received on June 6, 2026, from a concerned informant who disclosed that Cheik El-Mehdi had contacted his family abroad in May, claiming he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and demanding ransom for his release.
Police said the alleged scheme escalated when Zakaria Zawadogo reportedly reinforced the ransom demand, threatening that the victim would be killed if payment was not made.
Acting swiftly on the report, detectives launched an intelligence-driven operation which uncovered the syndicate’s hideout in Adiyan Town.
Operatives subsequently arrested Zakaria Zawadogo, who led investigators to the location where Cheik El-Mehdi, Suren Neta and five other foreign nationals were apprehended.
A search of the premises and preliminary investigations revealed that the purported kidnapping was entirely staged as part of a coordinated fraud operation.
Investigators further established that Suren Neta allegedly lured Cheik El-Mehdi into Nigeria, while Zakaria Zawadogo coordinated the ransom demands and threats. Police also discovered that the supposed victim actively participated in planning and executing the fake abduction.
The Command disclosed that the principal suspects: Zakaria Zawadogo, Cheik El-Mehdi and Suren Neta have confessed to their roles in the conspiracy.
The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation to determine the full extent of the syndicate’s activities and possible connections to other transnational criminal networks.
Commending the operation, the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode praised the professionalism and swift response of detectives led by CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, noting that their intelligence-led efforts exposed and dismantled a sophisticated criminal enterprise.
Ojajuni said the case underscores the growing complexity of transnational crimes and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to proactive policing, intelligence gathering and sustained operations against organised criminal groups.
He assured residents that Ogun State would remain hostile to criminal elements and pledged continued collaboration with relevant agencies to enhance public safety and combat cross-border crime.
The Command also 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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