Eight Foreigners Arrested for Fake Kidnapping in Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command arrested eight foreign nationals involved in a staged kidnapping scheme designed to extort ransom from victims' families abroad. The operation was disclosed by the command's spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, on Monday.

The investigation began after police received intelligence on June 6, 2026, regarding a kidnapping incident. The primary suspect, 23-year-old Mauritanian Cheik El Mehdi, contacted the victim's family abroad in May 2026, claiming he was kidnapped in Nigeria and demanding ransom for his release.

Another suspect, Zakaria Zawadogo, reinforced this demand with threats to kill the victim if the ransom was not paid. The police, led by CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, tracked the suspects to their hideout in Adiyan Town, Agbado Area, Ogun State, where they arrested Zawadogo and other members of the syndicate, including individuals from Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and the Republic of Benin.

Preliminary findings indicated that the operation was a coordinated fraud scheme involving simulated kidnappings to obtain ransom payments. The suspects reportedly confessed to their involvement, and the case has been transferred to the state criminal investigation department for further investigation.