Ogun State Police Command has arrested eight foreign nationals for allegedly staging their own abduction and demanding ransom from relatives in a scheme investigators described as a coordinated fraud operation.
Gatekeepers News reports that according to the police, the suspects were apprehended in Adiyan Town, Agbado, in Ifo Local Government Area following intelligence reports that a group of foreign nationals had orchestrated a fake kidnapping to extort money from their families and associates abroad.
The command said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly created a false narrative of being kidnapped and held captive, after which ransom demands were sent to their relatives.
Detectives later uncovered evidence suggesting that the purported abduction was staged as part of a fraudulent scheme designed to obtain money under false pretences.
Police authorities disclosed that the operation was carried out by operatives attached to the Ifo Division following credible intelligence. The suspects, whose identities and nationalities were not immediately disclosed, were taken into custody for further interrogation and verification of their immigration and travel records.
Investigators are also working to determine whether the group is linked to a broader transnational fraud network or if similar schemes had been carried out previously in other locations.
The police said efforts were ongoing to identify additional accomplices and trace any funds that may have been obtained through the alleged ransom scam.
The arrest highlights growing concerns among security agencies over the use of fabricated kidnapping claims and other deceptive tactics to defraud unsuspecting victims.
Police urged residents to promptly report suspicious activities and advised the public to verify kidnapping claims through law enforcement channels before making ransom payments.
The suspects are expected to face further investigation and possible prosecution upon the conclusion of inquiries by the police and relevant authorities.
