Abeokuta, Ogun State — The Ogun State Police Command has dismantled a transnational criminal syndicate allegedly involved in staging fake kidnapping incidents and defrauding victims through ransom extortion schemes, leading to the arrest of eight foreign nationals.
The suspects were apprehended during an intelligence-led operation carried out by detectives attached to the Ifo Divisional Headquarters in the Agbado area of Ogun State. The operation followed credible intelligence received by the police regarding suspicious activities linked to a fraudulent kidnapping network operating within the state.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, investigations revealed that the syndicate specialized in orchestrating fake abductions and manipulating relatives of supposed victims into paying ransom for their release.
One of the suspects, identified as Cheik El-Mehdi, allegedly contacted family members abroad, claiming he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and urgently required ransom payment. Further investigations, however, revealed that the alleged abduction was carefully staged as part of an organized fraud scheme.
The eight arrested suspects include nationals from Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin Republic, and other West African countries. Police investigations indicate that members of the group played different roles in coordinating ransom demands, maintaining communication with targeted families, and managing financial transactions linked to the fraudulent operation.
Preliminary findings reportedly show that the supposed victim was an active participant in the scheme. Authorities disclosed that three principal suspects have already made confessional statements detailing the syndicate’s activities and operational methods.
Following the arrests, the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a comprehensive investigation. Detectives are also examining possible links between the suspects and other international criminal networks operating across the region.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the officers involved in the operation and reiterated the command’s commitment to combating organized crime through intelligence gathering and proactive policing.
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