By Ganiyat Mumuni
Detectives attached to the Ifo Division of the Ogun State Police Command, under the leadership of the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, have uncovered a transnational criminal syndicate involved in a sophisticated fake kidnapping scheme aimed at extorting ransom from unsuspecting families abroad.
The operation led to the arrest of eight foreign nationals identified as: Zakaria Zawadogo (34) of Burkina Faso; Cheik El-Mehdi (23) of Mauritania; Suren Neta (25) of Côte d’Ivoire; Koffi Breno (36) of Côte d’Ivoire; Gondo Treso (32) of Côte d’Ivoire; Kunuji Ezekiel (27) of the Republic of Benin; Kougasi John of Côte d’Ivoire; and Hemue Blinsi (30) of Côte d’Ivoire.
The suspects were apprehended during an intelligence-led operation carried out in Adiyan Town, Agbado Area of Ogun State, following credible intelligence and sustained surveillance into a reported kidnapping incident that was subsequently uncovered as a staged abduction.
The breakthrough followed a report received on June 6, 2026, from a concerned informant who alerted the Police that Cheik El-Mehdi, a 23-year-old Mauritanian national, had contacted his family abroad in May 2026, claiming he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and demanding a ransom for his release. The report further indicated that another suspect, Zakaria Zawadogo, reinforced the demand by threatening that the purported victim would be killed if the ransom was not paid.
Upon receipt of the complaint, detectives at the Ifo Division immediately launched an intelligence-driven investigation. Their swift response proved instrumental in identifying the suspects’ location and preventing what could have resulted in a successful cross-border financial crime.
Technical intelligence gathered during the investigation revealed that the suspects were operating from a hideout in Adiyan Town, Agbado Area of Ogun State. Acting on this intelligence, operatives swiftly mobilized to the location, where Zakaria Zawadogo was arrested. He subsequently led detectives to the syndicate’s hideout, resulting in the arrest of Cheik El-Mehdi, Suren Neta, and five other foreign nationals linked to the operation.
All suspects were taken into custody, while the premises were secured and searched in accordance with established legal procedures.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the operation was a coordinated criminal enterprise involving the deliberate staging of a kidnapping to defraud the victim’s family. Findings further established that Suren Neta lured Cheik El-Mehdi into Nigeria, while Zakaria Zawadogo coordinated the ransom demands and issued threats intended to compel payment. Investigators also discovered that the purported victim actively participated in orchestrating the fake abduction.
The principal suspects — Zakaria Zawadogo, Cheik El-Mehdi, and Suren Neta — have reportedly confessed to their roles in the conspiracy. Further investigations are ongoing to determine the full scope of the syndicate’s activities and possible links to other transnational criminal networks.
The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further discreet and comprehensive investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, psc, FCSS, MNIPR, commended the professionalism, discipline, and swift response of the detectives under CSP Olabisi Kamorudeen, whose intelligence-led operation exposed and dismantled the criminal scheme.
According to the Commissioner, the case underscores the growing sophistication of transnational criminal activities and reinforces the Command’s commitment to proactive policing, intelligence gathering, and sustained operations against organized crime.
He reassured members of the public that Ogun State remains hostile to criminal elements and emphasized that the Command will continue to strengthen both internal and international collaboration to enhance public safety and security.
