Eight foreigners arrested for staging fake kidnapping in Ogun
Eight foreigners have been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly running a fake kidnapping scheme to extort ransom from families abroad. According to police spokesperson DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, detectives uncovered the operation after receiving intelligence on a staged abduction. The suspects, including nationals from Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Benin, were apprehended in Adiyan Town, Agbado area. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
What happened
- Police acted on intelligence received on June 6, 2026, regarding a reported kidnapping that was later found to be staged.
- Cheik El-Mehdi, a 23-year-old Mauritanian, contacted his family abroad in May 2026 claiming he was kidnapped and demanded ransom.
- Zakaria Zawadogo reinforced the ransom demand with threats, while Suren Neta allegedly lured Cheik El-Mehdi into Nigeria.
- The police arrested all eight suspects, who reportedly confessed to orchestrating the fake abduction.
- Commissioner Bode Ojajuni praised the operatives and emphasized the command’s commitment to tackling organized crime.
