Eight foreign nationals, believed to be members of a transnational criminal syndicate, have been arrested by police operatives in Adiyan Town, Agbado Area of Ogun State, for allegedly orchestrating a fake kidnapping scheme to extort money from their families and associates abroad.
According to a statement by Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, the suspects were apprehended following credible intelligence and sustained surveillance after an alleged kidnapping incident was reported, but later found to be staged.
The arrested suspects were identified as Zakaria Zawadogo (34, Burkina Faso), Cheik El-Mehdi (23, Mauritania), Suren Neta (25, Ivory Coast), Koffi Breno (36, Ivory Coast), Gondo Treso (32, Ivory Coast), Kunuji Ezekiel (27, Republic of Benin), Kougasi John (Ivory Coast), and Hemue Blinsi (30, Côte d’Ivoire).
Babaseyi explained that the arrests followed a June 6, 2026, report from a concerned informant who revealed that Cheik El-Mehdi, a 23-year-old Mauritanian, had contacted his family in May 2026, claiming he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and demanding a ransom for his release. Shortly afterward, Zakaria Zawadogo heightened the pressure by threatening harm if the ransom was not paid.
Acting on the intelligence, detectives from the Ifo Division launched an investigation that led them to the syndicate’s hideout. Zakaria Zawadogo was the first to be arrested and subsequently led police to the location where the other suspects, including Cheik El-Mehdi and Suren Neta, were apprehended. The premises were secured and thoroughly searched in accordance with due process.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects had devised a coordinated plan to stage the abduction and extort money from the victim’s relatives. It was discovered that Suren Neta lured Cheik El-Mehdi into Nigeria, while Zakaria Zawadogo managed the ransom negotiations and threats. Further findings indicated that the supposed victim, Cheik El-Mehdi, was actively involved in the staged kidnapping.
The principal suspects, Zakaria Zawadogo, Cheik El-Mehdi, and Suren Neta, have confessed to their roles in the conspiracy. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation to uncover the full scope of the syndicate’s operations and any possible connections to other transnational criminal networks.
