Four foreigners have been arrested and brought before the Ogun State Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, for alleged kidnapping, hostage taking and unlawful detention of several foreign victims for ransom.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Presiding Chief Magistrate, A. K. Arabia, ordered the remand of Augustine Nketia Boateng, 41; Johnson Apan Julus, 43; Dramane Lenganir, 26; and 37-year-old Simms Raphael, all citizens of Ghana, Benin and Burkina Faso.
The defendants were arrested at their operational base in Harmony Estate, Pakudi Obada Area, Ogun State, by officers of the International Police (Interpol), Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, led by Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni.
The Court ordered their remand at the Oba Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) following a motion ex parte marked MA/83PJ/2025, filed and moved by Morufu Ajani Animashaun, a legal officer in the Force Legal/Prosecution Department.
Animashaun told the court that the application was brought pursuant to Section 367 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Laws of Ogun State, 2017, and the court’s inherent jurisdiction. He prayed the court for an order remanding the defendants for alleged kidnapping, abduction, hostage taking and unlawful detention, pending the issuance of legal advice by the Ogun State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), for a period of 60 days in the first instance.
He also sought an order directing their remand at the Ibara Correctional Centre, Abeokuta. The motion was supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Inspector Oyebisi Oni of the Interpol Section, alongside a written address and documentary exhibits.
The Court granted the motion and ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Oba Correctional Centre pending the DPP’s legal advice.
The case was adjourned to 27th February, 2026, for mention for the report of the DPP’s advice to be available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.
The affidavit stated that Interpol received a request on 7th November, 2025, from the National Central Bureau (NCB), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, concerning a case of conspiracy, kidnapping, abduction, human trafficking and obtaining money by false pretence. The complaint was lodged by one Mr. Lengane Toyazoula against the defendants and others at large.
The request sought Interpol’s assistance in rescuing a 23-year-old Burkinabe woman, Lengane Audrey, allegedly held captive by the suspects. Based on intelligence from the NCB, a team of detectives from Interpol FCID Annex, Ikoyi, was deployed to Abeokuta, where the suspects were traced to Harmony Estate.
During the operation, 16 victims comprising Burkinabe nationals, 12 Ghanaians, one Togolese and one Ivorian were rescued.
During interrogation, the defendants allegedly admitted collecting 1,869,000 CFA (equivalent to N4,790,036.77) as ransom. Further investigation reportedly revealed that they lured victims from other countries into Nigeria under the guise of securing Canadian visas, collected money from them and detained them against their will.
The affidavit stated that the suspects, operating from Harmony Estate, unlawfully imprisoned the victims and extorted money from their families. A proposed charge sheet was attached as an exhibit.
The affidavit also stated that 12 rescued victims had been handed over to the Consular General of the Ghana High Commission on 3rd December, 2025.