Court Remands 4 Foreign Nationals Over Alleged Kidnapping
An Ogun State Chief Magisterate Court, sitting at Isabo, Abeokuta, has ordered the remand of four foreigners who were arrested for alleged kidnapping, hostage taking and unlawful detention of foreign nationals.
The four foreigners remanded by Chief Magisterate A. K. Araba, are: Augustine Nketia Boateng, 41, Johnson Apan Julus, 43, Dramane Lenganir, 26 and 37 years old Simms Raphael, who are citizens of Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso.
They arrested at their operational base, Harmony Estate, Pakudi Obada Area, Ogun State, by the operatives of International Police (Interpol) Force Criminal Investigation Department ForceCID Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, led by Mr. Bode Ojajuni a Commissioner of Police (CP).
The court remanded them at at Oba center of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), sequel to a motion Exparte numbered MA/83PJ/2025, filed and moved by Barrister Morufu Ajani Animashaun, a legal officer at Forced’s Legal/Persecution department.
Animashaun had told the court that the motion Exparte was pursuant to sections 367 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Section 306 of the Administration of the criminal laws of Ogun State, 2017, and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.
In the motion exparte, Animashaun specifically prayed the court for the followings: “an order of the Honourable Court remanding the respondents/defendants in the Correctional Service Custody for the alleged offences of Kidnapping and Abduction/Hostage taking, unlawful detention, pending the issuance of Legal Advice by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ogun State, for a period of 60 days in the first instance.
“An order of the court directing that the respondents/defendants be remanded at the Ibara Correctional Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State. And for such further order(s) as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”
The police lawyer also informed the court that the motion is supported with an affidavit of 18 paragraphs deposed to by Inspector Oyebisi Oni, a Police Officer, attached to Interpol Section, written address and some documentary exhibits.
Chief Magistrate Araba, in his ruling after listening to the submissions of the police lawyer, ordered that the suspected foreign kidnappers be remanded at Oba center of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), pending the legal advice from the State’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Further hearing of the matter has been adjourned to February 27, 2026.
Parts of deponent aveerments in the affidavit in support of the Exparte motion reads: “that on the 7th day of November, 2025, I received a request for assistance from the National Central Bureau (NCB), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in respect of a case involving Conspiracy, Kidnapping, Abduction, Human Trafficking, and Obtaining Money by False Pretence. The complaint was lodged by one Mr. Lengane Toyazoula against the Respondents and others at large. The victims are foreign nationals who were brought into Nigeria by the Respondents. The NCB requested INTERPOL’s assistance to rescue their citizen, one Lengane Audrey (‘F’ 23 years), who was held in captivity by the Respondents.
“That the information provided by NCB gave insight into the location of the Respondents based on intelligence available to the police. And that upon receipt of the request, the Commissioner of Police, In-Charge of Interpol Section, FCID Annex, ikoyi, Lagos, dispatched a team of detectives to Abeokuta, Ogun State, where the respondents were traced to an undisclosed address at Harmony Estate, Pakudi Obada Area, Ogun State. On the-spot inquiries were conducted, and 16 victims, comprising Burkinabe nationals, twelve Ghanaians, one Togolese, and one Ivorian, were successfully rescued by Interpol operatives.
“That during interrogation, the respondents admitted to having collected the sum of One Million Eight Hundred and Sixty-Nine Thousand CFA (F1,869,000.00), equivalent to Four Million Seven Hundred and Ninety Thousand Thirty-Six Naira and Seventy-Seven Kobo (N4,790,036.77) as ransom. And that investigation further revealed that the complainants are victims of a criminal scheme whereby the respondents lure individuals from other countries to Nigeria with the false representation of procuring Canadian visas, collect money from them, and then detain them against their will.
That the alleged kidnappers include foreign nationals from Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, and others, who have used Harmony Estate, Pakudi Obada Area, Ogun State, as their operational base. And that to conceal their criminal acts, the respondents unlawfully imprisoned the victims and extorted money from their families.
“That the offences committed by the Respondents include Conspiracy to commit Felonies, to wit: Kidnapping, Abduction, Human Trafficking, and Obtaining Money by False Pretence. And that I have preferred a charge against the Respondents for the offence of Conspiracy to commit Felonies, namely: Kidnapping and Abduction, Hostage taking, Unlawful Detention. Annexed as Exhibit H is a copy of the Proposed Charge Sheet.
“That the duplicate case file was forwarded to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with Reference No. CB: 3960/X/ICPO/ADM/LS/CNU/VOL.2/222 dated 2 December, 2025. Annexed as Exhibit I is a certified true copy of the acknowledgment letter from the DPP’s Office.
“That a remand warrant is required to detain the Respondents at [bara Correctional Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, for a period of sixty (60) days, pending the provision of legal advice by the DPP.
“That the 12 rescued victims have been handed over to the Consular General, Ghana High Commission, on the 3rd day of December, 2025. And that granting this application will serve the substantial interest of justice.”