Suspected members of a transnational fraud syndicate arrested by operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have claimed that their activities in Nigeria were directed by a Malaysian-based coordinator whom they have never met in person.
The suspects said all operations of the network were controlled online by the alleged foreign leader, who they communicated with strictly through digital platforms.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Omolola Odutola, had earlier confirmed the arrest of the suspects in the Agbado area of Ifo Local Government Area, where they were allegedly running a fraudulent scheme known as “Ignite Networking.”
According to the police, the group allegedly lured foreign nationals into Nigeria with promises of wealth and business opportunities, while compelling them to purchase non-existent products and recruit additional members into the network.
The command further alleged that the syndicate staged a fake kidnapping involving a Mauritanian national, Cheikh Mhedy, in an attempt to extort about 6.5 million CFA Franc from his family.
In a confessional statement, one of the alleged ring leaders, 34-year-old Zadariah Sawadogo from Burkina Faso, said he came to Nigeria in 2023 in search of better prospects before being introduced to the scheme by a friend identified as Sebasien.
Sawadogo said the group operated under instructions from a Malaysian contact who allegedly coordinated their activities remotely.
“We took orders from Malaysia. Our boss is a Malaysian national, and I have never met him before. We only communicate on the internet,” he said.
He explained that members were required to buy products allegedly supplied from Malaysia and recruit new participants in order to earn commissions.
Sawadogo added that he invested proceeds from his family’s property in Ivory Coast into the scheme after being convinced of its profitability, but later discovered that no products were ever delivered.
“My father sold a piece of land for 1.6 million CFA Franc and sent the money to me in Nigeria. I used part of it to rent an apartment and invested the rest in the business, but the products never arrived,” he said.
Another suspect, 25-year-old Sole Nata, admitted to introducing the Mauritanian victim to the scheme after they met online and became romantically involved.
She said she assisted him financially to participate in the network, but claimed he later initiated a fake kidnapping plot to extort money from his family.
A Togolese suspect, identified as Kuneji Ezekiel, described himself as a victim of the scheme, saying he was deceived into joining with promises of financial gain.
Police spokesperson CSP Odutola warned residents to be cautious of online networking schemes, noting that many such platforms are used to defraud unsuspecting victims.
She added that preliminary investigations indicated that some of those arrested may also be victims of recruitment into the fraudulent network.
According to her, suspects who are found to be victims will be handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service for further profiling and appropriate action.
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