Another Romance Scam: Court Remands Man Over N10.5 Million Fraud

Operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Annexe, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, arraigned a suspected Internet fraudster, Samson Onaolapo, over an alleged romance scam involving the sum of $7,000 (about N10.5 Million).

Onaolapo, popularly described as a “Yahoo boy,” was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Alexander Owoeye.

The defendant was arraigned on four counts bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing and impersonation, preferred against him by the police.

The defendant, who resides at 34 Association Crescent, Abimbola Awoniyi Estate, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos, pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him in court.

The prosecution counsel, Williams Tijani, told the court that the defendant allegedly used his email address, ScothSparks@yahoo.com, to fraudulently impersonate an American citizen, Scott Spark, in order to defraud two victims, Patti Anna and Linda Morgan, of the sum of $7,000.

Tijani further informed the court that the defendant allegedly acquired, retained and took possession of the said sum, knowing or having reasonable grounds to know that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.

The prosecutor told the court that  the offences were committed between 2019 and 2024.

According to him, the offences committed contravened provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006; the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024); the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended); and Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Following the defendant’s not-guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date and urged that the defendant be remanded in custody pending the determination of the case.

However, defence counsel, Olalekan Ogunbunmi, told the court that he had just been briefed on the matter and requested a short adjournment to enable him to file a formal bail application on behalf of his client.

In his ruling, Justice Owoeye adjourned the matter to May 27, 2026, for trial and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.

 

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Lagos Based Company Convicted For Stealing Over N30.6 Million Belonging To Chevron Staff

A Lagos Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has convicted a company, AAC Consulting Limited, for stealing over ₦30.6 million belonging to contract staff of Chevron Nigeria Limited, ordering the firm to pay a ₦5 million fine or face winding up.

Justice Rahman Oshodi delivered the judgment yesterday after finding the company guilty of dishonestly converting the sum of ₦30,564,635.81 entrusted to it for the benefit of the affected workers.

AAC Consulting Limited was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 12 January 2026 on an amended one-count charge of stealing, contrary to Section 285(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. 44, Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The case dated back to 5 June 2023, when the company and its Managing Director, Anthony Adeoye, were first arraigned on a 50-count charge of stealing and issuing dud cheques. Both defendants initially pleaded not guilty, leading to a full trial.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by I. O. Daramola, called two witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits, all of which were admitted by the court.

However, following the repayment of the disputed sum to the petitioner in December 2023, the defendants opted to change their plea. The EFCC subsequently amended the charge, and the company pleaded guilty to the lone count of stealing.

The charge stated that AAC Consulting Limited, on or about 27 April 2013, within the Ikeja Judicial Division of Lagos State, dishonestly converted to its own use the aggregate sum of ₦30,564,635.81, being funds belonging to contract staff of Chevron Nigeria Limited.

In his judgment, Justice Oshodi held that the company’s decade-long delay in refunding the money underscored the criminality of the act, notwithstanding the eventual repayment. He consequently convicted AAC Consulting Limited and imposed a ₦5 million fine, to be paid within 14 days.

The judge warned that failure to comply with the order would result in the winding up of the company, stressing the need for corporate accountability and deterrence in financial crimes.

 

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Supreme Court Dismisses Al-Mustapha’s Trial For Kudirat Abiola’s Murder After Lagos Abandoned Case

The Supreme Court has dismissed the trial of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, in the murder of the late politician, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

Kudirat Abiola was the wife of the late businessman and politician, Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election that was annulled by former President Ibrahim Babangida.

She was murdered in Lagos during the nationwide crisis that followed the annulment and in the course of her persistent struggle to have the annulment reversed by the military.

The trial of Al-Mustapha in the murder charge brought against him by the Lagos State government was put to rest on Thursday by a five-member panel of Justices of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Uwani Aba-Aji.

At the proceedings, where Lagos State was slated to re-open the trial, no legal representation appeared, and no process had been filed since 2014, when an order to re-open the case was granted in its favour.

Paul Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) representing Al-Mustapha, informed the Justices that Lagos State had not taken any steps to implement the 2014 order to reopen the trial.

He said that not even a notice of appeal had been filed by Lagos as the appellant to demonstrate its seriousness in prosecuting the trial.

Daudu noted that when the order to reopen the trial was granted in 2014, Lagos State was issued a 30-day ultimatum to file its notice of appeal.

He explained that more than 11 years later, nothing had been done to comply with the order.

He therefore urged the Court to hold that the appellant had abandoned the case and should have it dismissed in its entirety.

Justice Uwani Aba-Aji, who presided over the matter, sought to know if Lagos had been served with the hearing notice, a question answered in the affirmative by the Registrar of the Court.

In a brief ruling, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, agreed that Lagos had lost interest in the matter and had consequently abandoned it.

Justice Aba-Aji held that nine years was long enough for the appellant to have filed a notice of appeal and the brief of appeal.

The Court also expressed disapproval that no legal representation had been made by the state government, while no information was provided to the Court or the respondent, despite being served with the hearing notice since 2020.

Consequently, the matter marked SC/CR/45/2014 was dismissed. Another matter by the Lagos governor, marked SC/CR/6/2014, on the same trial was also dismissed on the same ground.

The Supreme Court had in 2014, in a ruling on Lagos State’s application for permission to re-open the case out of time, granted the request to challenge the Court of Appeal decision of July 12, 2013, which discharged and acquitted Al-Mustapha in the murder case.

The then Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, in a ruling of a seven-member panel, ordered Lagos State to file its notice of appeal within 30 days.

The decision followed the consent of Al-Mustapha’s lawyer, Mr. Joseph Daudu SAN, not to oppose the application, which was argued by Osunsanya Oluwayemisi, a Senior State Counsel in the Lagos Ministry of Justice.

The Acting CJN had said that by the decision of the apex court, the time for Lagos to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s findings on the high-profile murder case had been extended from July 12, 2013, when the Court of Appeal judgment was delivered, until January 7, 2014.

By the permission granted in 2014, Lagos was cleared to challenge the not-guilty verdict granted in favour of the military officer by the Court of Appeal in 2013.

In the attempt to re-open the case, Lagos State had sought to file a notice of appeal out of time at the Supreme Court, asking for permission to challenge the Court of Appeal’s findings by Justices Amina Adamu Augie, Rita Nosakhare Pemu, and Fatimo Omoro Akinbami, on the grounds of miscarriage of justice.

The state had prayed the apex court to allow it to exercise its constitutional right to test the validity and correctness of the Court of Appeal decision.

It argued that it wanted to raise grounds of appeal on arguable legal and factual issues, especially regarding whether there was any direct or circumstantial evidence establishing Al-Mustapha’s guilt in the murder case.

Lagos State explained that the delay in filing the appeal was due to setting up two legal teams to review the circumstances of the case and the Court of Appeal verdict.

The government said it took time for the two legal teams to present their findings and recommend that an appeal could be filed and sustained.

The state government said it would ask the Supreme Court to set aside the Court of Appeal judgment, which discharged and acquitted Major Hamza Al-Mustapha in the murder case of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

It intended to urge the apex court to uphold and restore the death sentence by hanging imposed on the former CSO to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, by a Lagos High Court on January 30, 2012.

Al-Mustapha, Mohammed Abacha, and one Lateef Shofolahan were arraigned before a Lagos High Court on a two-count criminal charge of conspiracy to commit murder and the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola on June 4, 1996, in Lagos State.

In a judgment delivered on January 30, 2012, by Justice Moji Dada, the accused were found culpable as charged and sentenced to death by hanging.

However, in an appeal approached by Al-Mustapha on April 27, 2012, the three-member Court of Appeal, in a unanimous judgment on July 12, 2013, set aside the high court decision, discharged, and acquitted the accused on the grounds that the evidence against them was insufficient to warrant the death sentence.

 

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Court Jails 33-Year Dispatch Rider 7 Years For Trafficking Tramadol In Lagos Island

A 33-year-old dispatch rider, Yahaya Nuru, was on Wednesday convicted and sentenced to a total of seven years’ imprisonment by the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for the unlawful distribution of large quantities of tramadol and other prohibited drugs.

Justice Musa Kakaki delivered the judgment after Nuru pleaded guilty to a four-count charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

At the arraignment, the prosecutor, Peter Ekuri, told the court that the convict, alongside others still at large, committed the offences in November 2025 at No. 6 Ashogbon Street, Lagos Island.

“Nuru conspired with Abdulrazak and Chukwu Emmanuel Emeka, who are currently at large, to unlawfully deal in controlled substances,” Ekuri said.

He further informed the court that Nuru was arrested with 4.12 kilograms of tramadol hydrochloride, 40 millilitres of tramadol hydrochloride injection, one litre of diazepam injection, and 1.04 litres of tramadol hydrochloride injection, which he intended to dispatch to different buyers.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened Sections 20(1)(a) and 11(c) and are punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Following the guilty plea, Ekuri urged the court to convict and sentence Nuru. “In view of Nuru’s plea of guilt, the facts reviewed, and the exhibits tendered, we urge the court to act in accordance with Section 247(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015,” he said.

While pleading for leniency, the defence counsel asked the court to “temper justice with mercy,” noting that the convict was a first-time offender who saved the court’s time by pleading guilty.

Delivering the sentence, Justice Kakaki said he had considered the allocutus of the defence and the fact that Nuru was a first-time offender.

“In the circumstances, the defendant is sentenced to four years, five months, one month, and three years’ imprisonment on counts one, two, three, and four, respectively,” the judge ruled.

The court also ordered Nuru to pay fines of N300,000, N30,000, N50,000, and N200,000 on the respective counts as an option to imprisonment.

Justice Kakaki further directed that “both the sentences and the fine options shall run concurrently.”

 

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Man Remanded Over N60 Million Visa Scam

Officers of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force on Monday arraigned a man, Israel Onen, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged visa racketeering scheme involving N60m.

Onen was docked before Justice Ibrahim Kala on four counts bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, money laundering, fraud, and stealing, preferred against him by the police in the charge marked FHC/L/1203C/2025.

During the arraignment, the prosecutor told the court that the defendant conspired with others, now at large, between 2024 and 2025 to defraud the complainant, Akinola Ayodele Emmanuel.

He alleged that Onen “fraudulently obtained the sum of N60m under the pretence of procuring Ireland and Schengen countries’ visas” for the complainant’s clients.

“The visas were never procured, and the money was not returned,” the prosecutor added.

The police further alleged that the defendant’s actions contravened provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, and the Criminal Code.

When the charges were read to him, the defendant pleaded not guilty.

Following the plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date and urged that the defendant be remanded in police custody.

“We are asking that the defendant be remanded in the custody of Zone 2 Command because there are several complaints against him,” the prosecutor said.

However, defence counsel O. Ogu opposed the application and urged the court to grant the defendant bail.

“We have filed and served our bail application on the prosecution, and we pray the court to admit the defendant to bail on liberal terms,” he told the court.

In his ruling, Justice Kala granted the defendant bail in the sum of N60m with one surety in like sum.

The judge ordered that “the surety must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 13 or a landed property owner with property valued at N60m.”

Justice Kala further directed that the defendant and his surety must each deposit two passport photographs, their National Identification Numbers, Bank Verification Numbers, bank account details, and phone numbers used for receiving alerts.

“The court registrar and the prosecutor are to participate in the verification of the bail conditions,” the judge ruled.

He adjourned the case to February 12, 2026, for trial and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Zone 2 Command, Onikan, pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

 

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Marijuana Trafficking: 35-Year Old Man Bags 6 Months Jail Term

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday convicted and sentenced a 35-year-old man, Deji Adesanya, to six months’ imprisonment for unlawful dealing in cannabis sativa, popularly known as marijuana.

Justice Akintayo Aluko handed down the sentence after Adesanya pleaded guilty to a one-count charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

At the arraignment, the NDLEA prosecution counsel, Peter Ekuri, told the court that Adesanya was arrested on November 22, 2025, at Safecourt Apartment, Ikate–Elegushi, Lagos State, with five kilograms of cannabis sativa, a prohibited substance.

The prosecutor said the convict dealt in the drug without lawful authority, thereby committing an offence under the NDLEA Act.

According to Ekuri, the offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Following Adesanya’s guilty plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the case and tendered several exhibits in evidence.

He thereafter urged the court to convict and sentence Adesanya in line with his plea and the exhibits before the court.

In her plea for leniency, defence counsel R.M.J. Nyiew urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

She asked the court to consider her client’s early guilty plea, his remorse, and his promise to refrain from engaging in any illegal activity in the future.

She also appealed for a non-custodial sentence.

In his ruling, Justice Aluko noted that the convict was a first-time offender with no previous criminal record, as confirmed by the prosecution.

The judge consequently sentenced Adesanya to six months’ imprisonment, with an option of a fine of N450,000.

 

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Lagos Taskforce Arrests 32 Omotaku Miscreants On Mainland And Island

The Lagos State Taskforce has arrested 32 street urchins, popularly known as Omotaku, for allegedly causing public nuisance and obstructing traffic on major highways across the state.

The agency, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Raheem Gbadeyan, on Monday, stated that the suspects were apprehended during a coordinated enforcement operation carried out on Tuesday across the Island and Mainland following complaints by residents over the activities of the miscreants.

He added that the operation, which was part of the Taskforce’s ongoing clean-up exercise, covered areas such as Apongbon, Fadeyi, Jibowu, Yaba Phase 1, Lagos Island, Palmgrove, Ojuelegba, and Surulere, among other adjoining roads.

“In these locations, the Taskforce observed the illegal activities of these miscreants who were unlawfully stopping articulated vehicles such as petroleum tankers, lorries, trucks, trailers, and private cars.

“During the raid, a total of 32 suspects were apprehended for constituting public nuisance, illegal road obstruction, and violating the Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018, as well as the Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017. Some of the suspects were also found to be smoking substances suspected to be hard drugs and Indian hemp,” the statement added.

According to him, the Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Adetayo Akerele, said the agency remained committed to ensuring public safety across the state.

“We will not relent in our efforts to comb all nooks and crannies of Lagos to rid the state of criminal elements and other undesirable activities on our roads,” Akerele was quoted as saying.

He added that the operation restored sanity to the affected areas while the suspects had been charged in court.

 

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Court Jails Former Lagos State Director For Stealing N48 Million

A Lagos State Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced a former Director in the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Olawale Solomon Feleti, to two years and five months’ imprisonment for stealing ₦48,992,271.73.

Justice Rahman Oshodi convicted the 64-year-old after finding him guilty on five counts of stealing preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC had alleged that Feleti dishonestly converted the sum of ₦48,992,271.73, belonging to Access Bank Plc, to his personal use.

According to the prosecution, the convict exploited a system glitch during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to gain unauthorised access to the bank’s credit card platform.

The anti-graft agency told the court that Feleti made multiple withdrawals, sometimes accessing up to ₦43,000 per transaction, despite knowing he had no authorisation to do so.

It was alleged that between July 2 and July 10, 2020, he fraudulently withdrew ₦12,528,598, while additional sums of ₦6,808,480 were withdrawn between May 22 and July 1, 2020.

The EFCC said the offences were contrary to and punishable under Section 287(1)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

In his judgment, Justice Oshodi held that Feleti’s actions were calculated, noting that he carried out several transactions despite being fully aware that he had no legal access to the funds.

The court further held that the convict showed no genuine remorse and failed to accept responsibility for his actions.

Justice Oshodi consequently found him guilty on all five counts and sentenced him to two years and five months’ imprisonment on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.

The court also ordered Feleti to pay restitution of ₦3 million to the court and ₦45,991,271.73 to Access Bank Plc.

In addition, the judge directed him to pay a fine of ₦5 million, noting that full restitution could warrant consideration of a non-custodial sentence if the bank formally notified the court.

The judge ordered that the custodial sentence commence on January 5, 2026, at a maximum security facility, and further directed that Feleti’s name be entered into the Lagos State offenders’ registry maintained by the Lagos State Judiciary.

 

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Rape And Other Sexual Offences: Police Invite Pastor Chris Okafor For Interrogation

The Lagos State Police Command has invited the Senior Pastor of Mountain of Liberation and Miracles Ministries, Chris Okafor, to report at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, over allegations of multiple rape and other offences likely to cause a breach of public peace.

The police said Okafor was served with an invitation letter and is expected to appear before the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCID by 10 am on Monday.

In a statement on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Adebisi, said the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, ordered a thorough investigation into the allegations against the cleric.

“The Lagos State Police Command has invited Pastor Chris Okafor, Senior Pastor of Mountain of Liberation and Miracles Ministries, in connection with allegations of multiple rape, other sexual offences, and several other conduct likely to cause breach of public peace and breakdown of law and order in the State,” she said.

According to the statement, the invitation followed several complaints bordering on alleged sexual offences and other conduct capable of leading to a breakdown of law and order in the state.

“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (DC SCID) to carry out a thorough investigation into the several criminal allegations against Pastor Chris Okafor.

“The Pastor has been duly served with an invitation letter through his legal representative and is expected to cooperate fully with the Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, in the ongoing investigation into the allegations of capital offences and other serious crimes against him,” the statement read.

The police said adequate security had been provided for the alleged victims and encouraged them to come forward to report at the SCID, Panti, where investigations have commenced.

The command assured that the identities of victims and witnesses would be kept confidential and fully protected throughout the investigation.

It also called on members of the public with credible information or evidence relevant to the case to assist the police, either through the SCID or the Police Public Relations Department.

The police reiterated that the investigation would be conducted professionally and without bias, stressing that no individual would be shielded based on status or influence.

“The Lagos State Police Command is committed to maintaining law and order, public peace, safety, and ensuring that all allegations of criminal acts against anyone, no matter how highly placed or lowly placed, are discreetly investigated according to law, regardless of the status of the individuals involved, and no sentiment will be allowed to prevail. Justice must prevail in the whole episode,” the statement concluded.

The invitation follows earlier reports that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police had directed the SCID to look into serious allegations against Okafor after claims circulated online accusing him of involvement in murder and other criminal acts.

The matter began in mid-December 2025, when multiple allegations surfaced on social media against Okafor. The allegations quickly gained public attention amid widespread outrage online.

One of the most prominent claims came from Nollywood actress Doris Ogala, who posted several videos on Instagram on December 14, 2025, alleging that she had been in a long-term sexual relationship with the pastor that began in 2017 and lasted nine years.

She accused him of breaking promises of marriage, sharing explicit content and contributing to the breakdown of her previous marriage.

In response to the growing controversy and viral claims, Okafor stood before his congregation on New Year’s Day and apologised for past “mistakes,” kneeling at the pulpit and seeking forgiveness, though he did not go into specific details about the allegations.

Amid the fallout, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria reportedly considered sanctions against him, and Okafor also stepped down from his pastoral duties as the scandal continued to draw attention on and off social media.

 

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Court Orders Forfeiture Of Cash, Toyota Sienna, Toyota Highlander, Volkswagen Bus, Lexus Car From Okota Drug Dealer After Jailing Him For Seven Years

Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a drug dealer, Ibemesi Francis, also known as Chisco, to seven years’ imprisonment for trafficking 1,762.8 kilograms of cannabis sativa, popularly called marijuana.

In addition to the jail term, the court ordered the final forfeiture of the convict’s cash, vehicles, and landed properties to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Justice Aluko handed down the sentence on Monday following Francis’ guilty plea to a one-count charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

At the hearing, NDLEA prosecution counsel, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, told the court that operatives arrested the convict at his residence at No. 19, Agboke Street, Okota, where they recovered the prohibited drug.

He was subsequently charged before the court on a single count. Francis admitted committing the offence and pleaded guilty.

Following his plea, the prosecution reviewed the facts of the case and tendered several exhibits, urging the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

In his plea for leniency, defence counsel, Mr. Uchenna Okenyin, asked the court to temper justice with mercy, noting that his client pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and was a first-time offender with no prior criminal record. He urged the court to impose a non-custodial sentence or, alternatively, a fine.

After considering the submissions of both counsel, Justice Aluko sentenced the defendant to seven years’ imprisonment, with an option of an N8 million fine.

Following the conviction, the prosecutor filed an application for the final forfeiture of the defendant’s assets, describing them as proceeds of drug trafficking.

He said the application was brought pursuant to Section 44(2)(k) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as Sections 3(1)(a) and (c), 27(1)(a) and (b), 32(c), 33(1)(a) and (b), 33(2)(a) and (b), 34, and 36(a) and (b) of the NDLEA Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

The assets sought to be forfeited included funds in an Access Bank account (No. 0067681867) and an Ecobank account (No. 4011004067), as well as foreign currencies comprising $11,600, £2,000, €62,200, and 50 Canadian dollars.

The vehicles forfeited include a silver Toyota Sienna (FKJ 259 JJ, Lagos), a black Toyota Highlander (ABJ 912 BZ, Abuja), a white Volkswagen bus (MUS 554 YF, Lagos), and a black Lexus 460 (JJJ 227 JV, Lagos).

The court also ordered the forfeiture of landed properties, including a property known as Daisy Garden at No. 7, Pius Eze Street, off Alhaji Agbake, Ago-Palace Way, Isolo, and another property at No. 19, Agboke Street, Okota, Lagos State, pending the conclusion of investigations and prosecution.

The prosecutor told the court that preliminary investigations established that the funds and assets were proceeds of drug trafficking and needed to be preserved to prevent dissipation. He added that the convict had no legal right to retain proceeds of crime.

 

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NDLEA Arrests Female Drugs Trafficking Kingpin With N5 Billion Worth Of Drugs In Surulere

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a suspected key member of a cocaine trafficking syndicate previously dismantled in Lagos and Ogun states, Shodunke Yetunde Simbiat.

The arrest comes about 20 months after operatives of the NDLEA smashed a cocaine cartel led by a couple, Bolanle Lookman Dauda and Olayinka Toheebat Dauda, with multi-billion-naira worth of cocaine seized.

Lookman Dauda and Toheebat Dauda were arrested on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at Ibiye along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway while attempting to cross the land border to deliver cocaine to Ghana.

At the point of arrest, 42 blocks of cocaine weighing 47.5 kilograms were recovered from them.

A follow-up operation at their residence at Plot 24/25, OPIC Extension, Petedo Road, Agbara, Ogun State, led to the recovery of eight additional blocks of cocaine weighing 10 kilograms, bringing the total seizure from the couple to 57.5 kilograms.

A statement released on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said following continued intelligence gathering and surveillance, NDLEA operatives identified 39-year-old Simbiat as a key member and stash keeper of the trans-border drug trafficking organisation.

Babafemi said Simbiat was tracked to her residence on December 9, 2025, and drugs were found hidden in her children’s room worth N5bn.

The statement partly read, “A swift follow-up operation in their residence at Plot 24/25 OPIC extension, Petedo road, Agbara, Ogun state, led to the recovery of an additional eight blocks of the same drug weighing 10kg, bringing the total weight of the consignment seized from the couple to 57.5 kilograms.

“Determined to rein in every member of the syndicate, the NDLEA operatives continued with follow-up intelligence and surveillance on the trans-border drug trafficking organisation until a 39-year-old female stash keeper, Shodunke Yetunde Simbiat, was identified as a key member of the DTO. As a result, she was trailed to her 31 Onasanya street, Surulere, Lagos residence on Tuesday, 9th December 2025.

“A thorough search of her home led to the discovery of blocks of cocaine weighing 23.50 kilograms concealed in a black suitcase recovered from her children’s room. She admitted ownership of the drug consignment worth over N5billion in street value.”

In a related development, he said NDLEA operatives at the Terminal II departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, December 18, intercepted a 36-year-old businessman, Nwanwene Robinson Destiny, while attempting to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan, Italy. A total of 1,020 pills of tramadol 225mg and tapentadol 200mg were found concealed in his luggage.

He said the suspect claimed he would have been paid €200 for delivering the opioids in Italy.

Also, at the Seme border in Badagry, NDLEA officers on Thursday, December 18, arrested a 48-year-old Beninoise, Leocardi Josu, while attempting to enter Nigeria with 3,400 tablets of tramadol 225mg.

“A suspect, Abdullahi Adamu, 30, was nabbed along the Okene/Lokoja highway with 28.400kg skunk, a strain of cannabis and Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, on Friday, 19th December. In Oyo state, NDLEA operatives on Friday 19th December recovered 125,000 capsules of tramadol and 1,800 ampoules of pentazocine injection in a Toyota Hiace bus marked XD 592 AWL along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, while two suspects: Ogunlade Kazeem, 54, and Adeleke Ismail, 30, were arrested with 185.4 kilograms of skunk at Challenge motor park, Ibadan, on Wednesday 17th December, ” the statement added.

 

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Man Sentenced To 22 Years Imprisonment Over N28 Million Property Scam In Lagos Island

A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced a man, Chidi Nwaya, to a total of 22 years’ imprisonment for obtaining N28m by false pretence and stealing in a failed property transaction on Lagos Island.

Justice Modupe Nicol-Clay, delivering judgment on Wednesday, convicted Nwaya on two counts—obtaining by false pretence and stealing—ordering that the 15-year sentence and a separate seven-year term run concurrently.

The judge held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, describing the defendant’s conduct as deliberate and deceptive.

Nwaya was arraigned in Suit No. LD/4554C/2017 by the Lagos State Government over a 2012 transaction involving a property located at No. 163A, Adeniji Adele Road, Lagos Island.

The prosecution counsel, Mrs T. Olanrewaju-Daud, told the court that Nwaya falsely represented himself as having authority to sell the family property and induced Anthony Mbachu to pay N28m for its purchase.

The convict was also accused of converting the money to his personal use after the transaction collapsed.

At trial, the complainant, Mbachu, testified that he had known Nwaya for several years and initially related to him as a tenant before discussions for the sale of the property began.

He told the court that Nwaya assured him the family had agreed to sell the property and that he paid the agreed sum in instalments.

Mbachu said a deed of assignment and receipt were prepared and signed by the defendant, but the sale was never completed, and the money was not refunded.

“He told me the family had agreed to sell and that I could pay in bits. I paid a total of N28m; receipts were issued, and documents were prepared, but the property was never transferred to me, and my money was not refunded,” Mbachu testified.

A police officer, ASP Bisi Awotunde, who investigated the matter, told the court that Nwaya admitted collecting money from the complainant, while a receipt showing N28m was recovered during the investigation.

Another prosecution witness, legal practitioner Aloy Ezenduka, testified that he prepared the transaction documents and that Nwaya signed the deed of assignment in his presence.

He added that attempts to verify the title documents later revealed discrepancies.

In his defence, Nwaya admitted receiving money from Mbachu but claimed it was about N14.29m, not N28m.

He testified that the family never intended to sell the property and that the money was later converted to rent. He also claimed that he signed some documents under duress.

In her judgment, Justice Nicol-Clay rejected the defence, holding that the evidence showed the convict knowingly misrepresented his authority to sell the property and deliberately induced the complainant to part with his money.

“Nwaya created a make-believe that the property was for sale despite knowing that his family did not intend to sell,” the judge held.

She added that his failure to refund the money amounted to fraudulent conversion.

The court struck out the third count of forgery after the prosecution conceded that it was not proved.

In sentencing Nwaya, the judge found him guilty of obtaining by false pretence under Section 312(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, and stealing under Section 285(5) of the same law.

The court sentenced him to 15 years’ imprisonment for obtaining by false pretence and seven years for stealing, with both sentences to run concurrently.

 

 

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How Lagos Provost Bagged 3-Year Jail Term For Forgery

A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Wednesday convicted and sentenced the provost of Adonai Advanced Institute of Management, Samson Orijugo, to three years’ imprisonment for forging a notification of result on the letterhead of Lagos State University.

Justice Modupe Nico-Clay convicted Orijugo on a two-count charge of forgery, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The court found that Orijugo, in 2015 at Badagry, forged a notification of result issued to a student, John Chibuzor Okoro, using LASU letterhead to falsely represent that Adonai Institute was affiliated with LASU.

Orijugo was arraigned on December 2, 2021, pleaded not guilty, and the trial began on March 8, 2022.

The prosecution, led by Mrs T. Olanrewaju-Daud, called three witnesses and tendered seven exhibits, while Orijugo testified in his defence.

In her judgment, Justice Nico-Clay held that the notification of the result tendered before the court was issued by the convict and was forged.

She relied on evidence establishing that Adonai Institute had no affiliation with LASU, contrary to the representations made to the student and his mother.

The first prosecution witness, Patience Okoro, the student’s mother, testified that Orijugo introduced himself as the provost of a Benin Republic-based institution affiliated with LASU.

She said he issued her son a notification of result on LASU letterhead after completing his studies.

Okoro told the court that she met Orijugo on May 12, 2012, in a commercial bus while returning from Iyana Oba Market.

According to her, Orijugo spoke about Adonai University, gave her flyers, and claimed the institution was affiliated with LASU.

Okoro explained that she expressed doubts because she was a LASU graduate and had never heard of such an affiliation, but Orijugo insisted that the university was one of the best in the Benin Republic and affiliated with LASU.

Okoro later visited Orijugo’s residence with her son, where he showed them transcripts translated into English on LASU letterhead.

Okoro further testified that she made independent enquiries at the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja, where officials said the school was recognised but were unaware of any English or French sections.

 

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Fleeing Suspects Abandon 32 iPhones, Five Laptops, Others In Ikeja

The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos police command, has recovered 75 mobile phones as well as five laptops believed to have been stolen around the Ikeja area of the state.

Spokesperson of the command, SP Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed this in a statement to journalists in Lagos.

Ms Adebisi said that the recovery took place on October 5 at about 5:30 a.m. near Allen roundabouts in Ikeja.

She said that the RRS operatives on routine patrol had sighted two men carrying two large “Ghana Must Go” bags, who immediately took off upon noticing the police team.

“The suspects abandoned the bags and fled.

“Upon inspection, the operatives discovered 32 iPhones of different models, 38 other smartphones of various brands, including Samsung, Redmi, Tecno, and Honor.

“They also recovered five laptops, several smart wristwatches, AirPods, a Samsung Tab, a Sorapad, and a number of damaged phones,” she said.

According to her, the RRS commander, CSP Shola Jejeloye, said that preliminary investigations showed that the items were stolen properties which were hastily abandoned by the suspects while fleeing from the police.

She said that the commander has urged members of the public who may have lost similar gadgets within Ikeja and its environs, to visit the RRS headquarters in Alausa, with verifiable proof of ownership, for identification and recovery

The spokesperson said that the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, commended the RRS operatives for their vigilance and professionalism.

“While commending the officers, CP Jimoh reiterated the command’s commitment to an intelligence-driven policing, proactive crime prevention, and sustained efforts to ensure the safety and security of residents across the state,” she said

 

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Police Smash Car-Snatching Gang In Igando

The Lagos State Police Command has dismantled a car-snatching syndicate notorious for operating across Lagos and neighbouring states, recovering five stolen

vehicles and several firearms in the process.

Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, who paraded the suspects at their hideout in the Igando area on Friday, described the arrest as another major

breakthrough in the state’s ongoing efforts to combat violent crime.

According to him, three members of the gang were arrested at their residence, which also served as their operational base where they planned and executed

attacks on unsuspecting motorists.

“The suspects specialised in pretending to be passengers before robbing their victims mid-transit and dispossessing them of their vehicles,” Fayoade explained.

He cautioned private car owners, particularly civil servants and professionals, against picking up unknown passengers in exchange for money to offset fuel

costs, warning that such practices often expose them to danger.

“It is extremely risky. If you cannot afford fuel, park your vehicle until you can. Many victims fall prey to these criminals by offering rides to strangers,”

he advised.

Fayoade revealed that while one of the reported robberies occurred in the Lekki-Ajah area of Lagos, investigations uncovered that the syndicate had also

carried out similar operations in Oyo and Edo States.

“Our investigation into a single robbery case led to the unravelling of the entire gang. So far, five vehicles have been recovered, including two displayed

here today,” he said.

Among the items recovered from the suspects were a pump-action rifle, an English-made pistol with erased serial numbers, several live cartridges, and charms

believed to be used for protection during their operations.

The police commissioner reiterated the command’s commitment to ensuring safety across the state.

“Lagos remains safe. We are on top of our game in crime prevention, control, and timely detection,” he assured.

He also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities within their neighbourhoods.

“Criminals are not spirits; they live among us. If you notice individuals without a clear means of livelihood or those moving in and out at odd hours,

please report to the nearest police station,” Fayoade urged.

He commended the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for providing the logistical and tactical support that continues to strengthen the fight

against crime in Lagos.

 

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Police Arrest Eight Cultists In Ikorodu

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested eight suspected cultists and armed robbers during a targeted operation in the Odogunyan area of Ikorodu, as part of ongoing efforts to rid the state of criminal elements.

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said the suspects were apprehended during an early morning raid by the Command’s Bullock Tactical Team, following credible intelligence. The operation, conducted at about 5:30 a.m., led to the arrest of Fadiya Ayodele (27), Lawal Rasheed (28), Akerele Demilare (27), Alimi Victor (23), Okiki Alufoge (25), Nurudeen Dolapo (25), Agboola Samuel (25), and Ayolade Victor (25).

Items recovered from the suspects included a Nigerian military camouflage uniform, a battle axe, an assault dagger, several charms, and counterfeit United States dollar bills totaling $3,000.

During interrogation, Fadiya Ayodele reportedly confessed to being the leader of the Eiye Confraternity.

in the area and admitted to having previously handed over a locally made pistol to one Adewunmi Annadex, who is currently on the run. Police said efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and recover the firearm.

Commending the operatives for their professionalism and swift response, the Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting the lives and property of Lagos residents.

“The Command will continue to sustain its intelligence-driven operations and make Lagos State uncomfortable for criminals,” the CP assured.

The police added that the suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

 

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Army Arrests Fake Major In Oshodi, Hands Him Over To The Police

The 9 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Ikeja, has transferred a 36-year-old man, Animashaun Khalid, to the Lagos State Police Command after he was arrested for allegedly posing as a senior military officer.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the suspect was apprehended at the popular Arena Market in Oshodi while in possession of a forged Nigerian Army identity card, which falsely identified him as a Major.

“The suspect was arrested at the Arena Market, Oshodi, with a counterfeit Nigerian Army ID card carrying his name and the rank of Major. Soldiers immediately handed him over to the Lagos State Police Command in a seamless operation, reflecting the strong collaboration between security agencies,” Hundeyin stated.

According to the police, the case has been assigned to the Special Squad I of the Command for a detailed investigation aimed at uncovering the source of the forgery, identifying possible accomplices, and determining whether the suspect exploited the fake identity for criminal purposes.

Hundeyin added that the suspect would be charged in court upon completion of investigations.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, lauded the Nigerian Army for its quick intervention and cooperation.

“The swift arrest and prompt handover highlight the critical role of synergy among security agencies in fighting crime,” Jimoh said.

He urged Lagos residents to remain security-conscious and report any suspicious activity, assuring that the close working relationship between the Army and Police will continue to strengthen public safety across the state.

 

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Woman With Fake Pregnancy Caught With Cocaine In Jibowu

  The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 50-year-old widow and fashion designer, Mrs. Ifeoma Henrietta Ezewuike, for attempting to traffic 1.3 kilograms of cocaine using a fake pregnancy disguise.

Ezewuike, who runs a fashion outfit, Golden Star Creation, in the Okota area of Lagos, was apprehended at a bus terminal in Jibowu, Yaba, on Friday, while attempting to deliver the drug consignment to customers in Abuja.

A statement by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said a follow-up operation at her residence in Ago Palace Way, Okota, led to the recovery of 200 grams of cutting agent used in processing cocaine.

Babafemi said in her statement to investigators that Ezewuike, a mother of one, claimed she inherited the drug trade from her late husband, who died two years ago, despite being in the fashion business for over 20 years.

“A 50-year-old widow and fashion designer, Mrs. Ifeoma Henrietta Ezewuike, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency over an attempt to traffic 1.3 kilograms of cocaine, using fake pregnancy as a façade to escape scrutiny and detection.

“The widow who is a mother of one and proprietress of Golden Star Creation, a fashion outfit in Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos, was arrested at a bus terminal in the Jibowu, Yaba area of the state on Friday, August  22, 2025, while attempting to move the cocaine consignment to customers in Abuja.

“A follow-up operation at her house in the Ago Palace Way area led to the recovery of 200 grams of cutting agent used in the production of a strain of cocaine. In her statement, Ezewuike claimed she inherited the criminal trade from her husband, who died two years ago, while she has been in the fashion business for 20 years,” the statement partly read.

In related operations, Babafemi said the NDLEA operatives intercepted 90 parcels of Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 48.6kg, concealed in three cartons of kitchen sinks imported from the United States.

He said the seizure was made at a courier company in Lagos on Tuesday, August 19.

“No fewer than 90 parcels of Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 48.6kg, imported from the United States of America and concealed in three cartons of kitchen sink, were intercepted at a courier company in Lagos on Tuesday, August 19, by the NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation,” Babafemi said.

In Adamawa, he said the NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Friday raided the home of a notorious drug dealer, Idris Garba, who scaled the fence to escape arrest, while one of his associates, Boniface Nnaji, 55, who attempted the same, was caught in the act at the Rumde Baru area of Yola South.

“Recovered from the premises include a black Toyota Thundra jeep marked FST- 885-CZ driven to Yola by Nnaji to supply Garba 354,480 pills of tramadol 225mg, 250mg and others as well as a Toyota Yaris car with registration number DSA 776 AA, “ he added.

In Kano, Babafemi said the duo of Buhari Ibrahim, 25, and Mansur Musa, 24, were nabbed at Zangon Ungogo, with 5,850 capsules of pregabaline on Tuesday, August 19, while a total of 452,070 pills of opioids were recovered from the home of a suspect, Rabilu Mukhtar, who is at large, at Rangaza, Ungogo LGA, just as Buhari Idris, 35, was arrested at the Tashan Rami area of the state with 140 litres of codeine syrup, both on the same Tuesday.

“No fewer than 7,000 capsules of tramadol were seized from Adamu Yusuf, 29, along Zaria-Kano road, Kwanar Dangora area of the state on Saturday,” he added.

In Abuja, he said two dispatch riders were arrested for distributing illicit substances.

According to the statement, similar crackdowns were recorded in Taraba, Edo, Delta, Ondo, and Ekiti states, where the NDLEA teams destroyed large cannabis farms and warehouses.

 

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NDLEA Arrests Popular Pastor In Lagos For Drug Trafficking

After months of fleeing abroad to evade arrest, the founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele (alias Abbas Ajakaiye), has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for masterminding multiple shipments of illicit drugs into Nigeria.

Prophet Adefolusho was arrested at his church located in Okun Ajah, Ogombo Road, Lekki area of Lagos on Sunday, 3rd August 2025, by NDLEA officers who waited for him all day to conclude the Sunday worship service in the evening before moving in on him the moment he stepped out of the church premises.

The arrest came after he had evaded arrest twice and fled to Ghana to hide since June when operatives of the agency started trailing him following the seizure of two shipments of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis linked to him, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesman said in a statement on Sunday.

The first seizure of 200kg of the psychoactive substance was made at Okun Ajah beach on 4th June 2025, while another consignment of 700kg of the same substance was recovered from his delivery van on 6th July 2025.

In his statement, he admitted ferrying the illicit consignments through the waterways from Ghana into Nigeria, adding that he had fled to the West African country to hide after he escaped arrest twice in the recent past.

In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Thursday, 7th August, raided an apartment at Kishi House 11 Layi Ajayi Bembe Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, where they arrested a suspect Benjamin Udo Ukoh and recovered 32 pouches of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis with a total weight of 15.63kg.

In like manner, commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities among others in the past week.

These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Mind City College, Saki, Oyo; Gwagwarwa Primary School, Nasarawa LGA, Kano; officers of the Nigerian Army 241 Recce Model Battalion, Nguru, Yobe; members of Engine Grinders Association, Gboko, Benue; while the Ekiti State command of NDLEA paid WADA advocacy visit to the Nigerian Correctional Service in Ado Ekiti, just as the Anambra State command of the Agency paid a similar WADA advocacy visit to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

While commending the officers and men of the Lagos, Nasarawa, Gombe, Kano, and Edo Commands for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.

 

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NNPC Sanctions Pump Attendant In Ikorodu For Defrauding Customer

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Retail Limited has sanctioned staff at one of its filling stations in Ikorodu, Lagos, after a pump attendant was caught on video allegedly attempting to swindle a customer.

A man, in a viral video, had confronted the attendant for selling petrol below the amount paid by the customer.

In a statement via its official X handle on Friday, the company said the video, which has been circulating on social media, prompted an immediate investigation that confirmed the incident took place at its Ikorodu outlet.

Describing the conduct as “unacceptable” and contrary to its values of integrity, transparency and customer service excellence, NNPC Retail said it had taken decisive action in line with its sanction grid.

“The pump attendant involved has been disengaged, the station manager suspended, and a formal warning letter issued to the dealer,” the statement read.

The company thanked the public for its vigilance and urged customers to continue reporting such incidents via the customer service numbers and email addresses displayed at its stations.

It also promised to maintain strict enforcement of compliance with operational standards across its network nationwide.

 

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