Court Remands 2 Beninois Over Alleged Kidnapping, Hostage Taking In Nigeria

A Lagos State Chief Magistrate’s Court in Igbosere has remanded two nationals of Benin Republic, Ballo Mohammed and Sana Aseez, in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service for allegedly kidnapping six Ivorian citizens in Nigeria.

Chief Magistrate Olanrewaju Olatunji ordered that the foreigners be kept behind bars after they were accused by the police of alleged conspiracy, kidnapping, hostage taking, obtaining money by false pretense and visa racketeering.

The police had told the court that the suspects lured their victims to Nigeria under the pretense of procuring German visas and work permits for them, but instead they fraudulently collected money from them, and subsequently detained them against their will.

The court remand order was predicated on a motion ex parte marked M/603/2025, filed and moved by Police Prosecutor Morufu Animashaun of the Legal/Prosecution Department of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID) Annexe, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos.

While moving the motion, Animashaun urged the court to remand the two suspects who were arrested by the International Police (Interpol), led by a Police Commissioner Bode Ojajuni, pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.

The prosecutor also informed the court that during their operation, the two suspects took into custody six citizens of the Ivory Coast who were subsequently rescued by Interpol and released to their embassy for onward repatriation to their country.

The victims allegedly kidnapped by the two suspects were: Zela Alhassane (28 years); Zela Zalika (27 years); Kara Sita (27 years); Zela Ramotou (29 years); Banhoro Kadijah; and Disa Barakisa (23 years). The magistrate thereafter adjourned the matter to January 9, 2026, for mention.