The Ogun State Police Command says it has dismantled a transnational criminal network accused of staging fake kidnappings and extorting ransom from families abroad.
Police said eight foreign nationals were arrested during an intelligence-led operation in Adiyan Town, Agbado area of Ogun State.
According to the command, detectives from the Ifo Division carried out the operation after receiving credible information about a suspected kidnapping case involving a 23-year-old Mauritanian national.
Investigators said the man, identified as Cheik El-Mehdi, allegedly contacted his family overseas claiming he had been kidnapped in Nigeria and demanded ransom for his release.
Police said another member of the group allegedly reinforced the demand by threatening to kill the supposed victim if payment was not made.
Following surveillance and intelligence gathering, officers tracked the suspects to a hideout in Adiyan, where the first suspect was arrested before leading investigators to other members of the network.
The arrested suspects are nationals of Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire, the Republic of Benin and other West African countries.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the kidnapping claim was allegedly fabricated as part of a coordinated fraud operation designed to obtain money from relatives living abroad.
Police said the principal suspects have reportedly confessed to their involvement, with investigators alleging that one suspect lured the supposed victim into Nigeria while others coordinated the ransom demands.
The command added that the suspects remain in custody and that further investigations are underway to determine the full scope of the operation and any links to other transnational criminal networks.
The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
Reacting to the development, Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the officers involved and said the operation demonstrates the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing.
He also assured residents that Ogun State will remain hostile to criminal activities and pledged continued collaboration with other security agencies to combat organised and cross-border crime.
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