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A Nigerian national and a Twin Cities woman are facing federal charges after allegedly assaulting a Homeland Security agent this week during an incident initially reported as a kidnapping.
Alpha News reported last week that Plymouth and New Hope police officers responded to a call indicating a federal agent had been taken against his will and was inside a suspect’s moving vehicle.
The outlet reported that federal assault charges were filed late Thursday against Oluwadamilola Ogooluwa Bamigboye, 24, and Rekeya Lionesha Lee Frazier, 23.
According to a police report and statement obtained by Crime Watch from the Plymouth Police Department, officers from both Plymouth and New Hope tracked the vehicle as it traveled from Plymouth to New Hope.
The report states that multiple 911 calls were placed during the pursuit, including one from another federal agent who was chasing the suspect vehicle and another from the driver of the vehicle, who told dispatchers they were heading to a police department.
The vehicle was ultimately stopped in front of the New Hope Police Department, where the agent was safely recovered. One suspect fled on foot near a nearby Hy-Vee store but was later detained, along with a woman who remained inside the vehicle, Alpha News reported.
According to an FBI affidavit, Homeland Security Investigations agents were conducting surveillance in an apartment parking lot in Plymouth while searching for Bamigboye, a Nigerian national accused of overstaying a student visa, noted KTSP.
The affidavit states that three agents — two in plain clothes and one wearing a vest marked “POLICE” and “HSI” — approached Bamigboye after observing him exit a Jeep SUV driven by Frazier. Investigators say the agents displayed their badges and identified themselves as law enforcement.
Court filings allege that after Bamigboye moved to the back seat of the Jeep, he asked the agents what agency they represented.
When agents said they wanted to speak with him about his immigration status, Bamigboye allegedly instructed Frazier to reenter the vehicle and drive away.
According to the filing, one agent entered the front passenger seat in an attempt to prevent the vehicle from leaving, while another got into the back seat to pull Bamigboye from the Jeep. Investigators say Bamigboye pushed the agent out of the back seat as Frazier put the vehicle into drive. As the Jeep began moving, the passenger-side door closed, trapping the agent inside, KTSP noted further.
The agent repeatedly told Frazier to stop the vehicle, warning that she was escalating the situation. The filing states the agent attempted to shift the Jeep into park while it was still in motion, while Frazier allegedly told him she might crash if he did not stop and said they were taking him to the police department.
According to the complaint, the agent, who “is on temporary detail for an operation,” was unfamiliar with the Twin Cities and feared he “was being abducted” because he “had no idea where they were going.”
While the car was still moving, the agent drew his gun and instructed Frazier to stop, but she continued driving.
HSI agents in a Ford Explorer had followed the Jeep from the apartments in Plymouth, “at one point inadvertently hitting it from behind in the snow.”
Bamigboye agreed to speak with law enforcement following the incident. He denied that the agents displayed badges or other credentials but acknowledged attempting to push an agent out of the vehicle and telling Frazier to drive away.
In his statement, Bamigboye said his response to the situation was “because he had PTSD from having been previously kidnapped” in his home country, noted KTSP.
Both Bamigboye and Frazier were in custody at the Sherburne County Jail, according to the reports.
