What is a city without crime? thisislagos descends into the Lagos underground to search out the baddest guys committing the craziest crimes in LasGidi.
Anti-cultism law: Lagos police arraign 60 suspects (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned 60 suspected cultists before the Chief Magistrate Court, Yaba on Wednesday, March 31, 2021.
The suspects who arrested at various points and communities in the state were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo with the new Lagos State Anti-Cultism Law, 2021.
They were arraigned on 13 count charge including conspiracy, murder, cultism, unlawful possession of firearms and breach of public peace under the new Lagos State Anti Cultism Law, 2021 and Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015. Read more
Internet fraudster jailed 3 years (Punch)
An Internet fraudster, Sodiq Adewale, has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment by the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja for defrauding his victims of $87,300.
Adewale was re-arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada on an amended one count by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
At the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, the EFCC prosecutor, Fadekemi Giwa, told the court that Adewale had approached the commission for a plea bargain, adding that following this, the charge against him was amended.
The charge was read to Adewale and he pleaded guilty to it. Read more
Lagos okays ex-aviation fuelling firm MD, others’ trial over alleged N1bn fraud (Punch)
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions in Lagos State has said sufficient facts exist to establish a prima facie case of conspiracy to commit felony, obtaining under false pretences, forgery and stealing against Dare Osamo and others indicted by the police to have laundered about N1bn from an aviation fuelling firm, Star Orient Nigeria Limited.
This was contained in the legal advice dated February 24, 2021, and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, A. O. Adeyemi, for the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State.
The legal advice was on Monday presented to the presiding magistrate A. A. Oshoniyi of the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Yaba, where the police had arraigned Osamo and two others on four counts bordering on forgery and stealing. Read more
Police arrest carpenter for accusing Fani-Kayode of rights abuse (Punch)
The FCT police command has arrested Azubuike Osakwe, a carpenter who once worked with a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode.
Osakwe, it was learnt, was arrested on Sunday shortly after returning from church. He had in February accused Fani-Kayode of arresting him at different times in 2019 and refusing to pay for his labour.
The PUNCH learnt that he was whisked away by policemen and taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department and forced to make statements before being given a stringent bail condition.
The carpenter had, along with seven others, visited The PUNCH office in Abuja last month where they accused the former minister of assault, arbitrary arrest and sexual harassment. Read more
NDLEA intercepts N2bn drugs at Lagos airport (Punch)
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted illicit drugs worth over N2bn at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The Head of the MMIA Command of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Garba, said the suspected trafficker, Bright Aniede, was arrested on Sunday, March 28, 2021, during the outward clearance of passengers on Air Marroc.
He alleged that Aniede concealed 7.1 kilogrammes of Methamphetamine in food spices, packed in a Swiss polo suitcase.
Garba, in a statement, said the illicit substance was bound for Spain with a street value of over N2bn. Read more
Police launch manhunt for Lagos driver’s killers (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has launched a manhunt for the fleeing gunmen, who allegedly shot a driver, identified simply as Sunday, to death in the Lawanson area of the state.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the 45-year-old, who had closed for the day, parked his vehicle around Lawanson bus stop and was on his way to buy something when the gunmen suddenly appeared on a motorcycle and shot him in the chest.
Sunday, who fell to the ground after he was shot, died on the spot. His corpse was said to have been left in a pool of his own blood on Aborisade Street, Lawanson.
Other yet-to-be-identified persons were said to have also sustained bullet injuries during the attack that led to the death of the driver. Read more
Money Laundering Allegation: SAN’s wife secures N200m bail (Vanguard)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday, arraigned the wife of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Cecilia Osipitan, on a nine-count money laundering charge.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Defendant, being the managing director of a firm, PJO Ventures Limited, in 2014, took possession of the sum of N6billion that was paid into the account of the company from Best worth Insurance Brokers Limited, being part of funds that were earmarked for the payment of outstanding insurance premium claims of deceased and incapacitated staff of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN.
EFCC alleged that Defendant used the fund and acquired several landed properties in highbrow areas in Lagos and Ibadan, Oyo State. Read more
#EndSARS: Man arrested with stolen police motorcycle in Lagos (Punch)
A man, Yusuf Saliu, has been arrested by policemen attached to the Mushin division of the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly stealing a police motorcycle.
The 32-year-old suspect allegedly perpetrated the act when hoodlums attacked the Dalemo Police Post during the #EndSARS demonstrations in the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Thursday, said the motorcycle had been recovered, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, ordered the command’s special squad to take over the case for further investigation.
Adejobi said, “The suspect was arrested on March 22, 2021, around 9.30pm, based on intelligence on the activities and involvement of the suspect in the vandalisation of the Daleko Police Post, as the suspect was seen riding the said bike with number plate APP 476 Q. Read more
EFCC arrests woman, son for alleged N50m internet fraud (Guardian)
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) Lagos Zonal Office, have arrested Ibeh Theophilus Uche, Chief Executive Officer, CEO, 10 Kobo Wine Place, Ikotun, Lagos alongside his mother for their alleged involvement in computer-related fraud to the tune of about N50 million in Lagos.
The 28-year-old suspect was arrested recently in his room in Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, following credible intelligence reports about his alleged criminal activities.
During interrogation, Uche, who presents himself variously as Rachael Armstrong , Keanu Reeves, Rebekah Schwarzenberger, Keanu Private, Elizabeth Hortman and Stefan Paulson, confessed to being into Bitcoin investment scam, romance scam and identity theft. Read more
Police hunt Lagos party organiser as man kills friend over lover (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has started an investigation into the killing of two friends at a party in the Mafoluku area of Oshodi, Lagos State.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, said the police were searching for the party organiser to unravel the circumstances that led to the death of the friends.
PUNCH Metro gathered that 35-year-old Segun Afuye went to a naming ceremony with his friend, Sodiq Elewure, on Wednesday.
Afuye was said to have discovered that Elewure was allegedly having an affair with his girlfriend, identified simply as Kafayat. Read more
Police arrest 6 suspected robbers, cultists in Lagos, recover arms (Vanguard)
Operatives attached to Ikorodu Division of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested three suspected traffic robbers including their receiver who buys stolen items from them.
The suspects identified as: Lucky Isibor, Isah Mohammed, and Aminu Abdullahi were arrested by combined team of policemen and local Vigilante men on patrol at the Ikorodu roundabout while allegedly robbing innocent commuters and passers by in the area, on 26th March, 2021 at 11:30pm.
Some of the items recovered from them include eleven (11) phones, One Hundred and Thirty Nine Thousand (#139,000), BRT Cowry Card, black bag containing assorted charms and weeds suspected to be Indian hemp. During interrogation, it was discovered that Lucky Isibor doubles as a receiver to traffic robbers in the area.
In a related development, the same Operatives at Ikorodu Division at about 6.50pm, arrested one Emmanuel James, of No 27, Hassan Street, Rofo, Odongunyan, Ikorodu. Read more
Lagos cop shot man dead for questioning search –Source (Punch)
A resident of Ajiran in the Ajah area of Lagos State, Jelili Bakare, was shot dead by a police inspector, Jonathan Company, because he demanded to know why the policeman wanted to search him, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.
Bakare was reportedly relaxing at Quinox Lounge in Sangotedo, Ajah, on Tuesday, March 18, when Company who was on duty in the area shot him dead during an argument.
The trigger-happy cop was said to have been arrested by policemen at the Ogombo division and taken to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba. Read more
Tortured Togolese: Police probe OPC members’ release from custody (Punch)
The police in Lagos have launched an investigation into the purported release of two members of the Oodua People’s Congress who were remanded for the alleged torture and murder of a Togolese, Frank Afavi.
PUNCH Metro also learnt that Frank’s 65-year-old father, Maweno, collapsed and died after seeing videos of his son’s torture.
Our correspondent had reported that 38-year-old Frank was a French teacher but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he became a security guard on an estate in the Ayobo area of Lagos.
The Togolese, who was born in Lagos, was attending a church service in November 2020 when he was called on the phone to come for his salary. Read more
Cleric docked for allegedly destroying shrine in Badagry (Guardian)
A 67-year-old cleric, Alhaji Abdul-Fatai Gbadamosi, last Thursday appeared in a Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for allegedly destroying the Aje shrine in Badagry.
Gbadamosi, whose address was not given, is charged with malicious damage and breach of public peace.
The prosecution counsel, Insp Ade Adeosun, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on March 17 at about 1 p.m. at Ibereko Community, Badagry area of Lagos.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendant damaged the Aje shrine, property of Ibereko community. Read more
Alleged murder: Lagos police frees American lady after 44 days in detention (Punch)
The police in Lagos last Thursday released an American lady, Kari R’ouke, who was arrested and kept in custody over the death of her Nigerian host, Ayomide Michael.
R’ouke’s lawyer, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), announced his client’s release in a statement on Thursday.
The American, who was picked at the airport on February 9 while making her way out of Nigeria, spent about 44 days in the police cell in Lagos.
Her lawyer had raised the alarm over her continued detention by the police, saying he was “scared that something devastating may happen to Kari Ann R’ouke if she is not released forthwith.” Read more
Lagos CP redeploys DPO over harassment of citizens (Punch)
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered the immediate redeployment of CSP Francis Ani, the Divisional Police Officer, Onipanu Division,
Police spokesman in the state, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement last Thursday that the deployment was sequel to harassment and illegal detention of one Tunde Abass and one Kabir Mohammed.
He said some officers and men of the Division harassed the duo on March 19 at Onipanu Area and the proceedings were recorded on phone by Abass.
CP Odumosu also ordered that policemen involved in the unprofessional act should face orderly room trial so as to mete deserving punishment on them, Adejobi stated. Read more
Customs officer shot, deformed me without offence –Clearing agent (Punch)
A clearing agent, Adeyemi Salau, has become incapacitated after a yet-to-be-identified officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, allegedly shot his right leg at the Berger checkpoint, Otto Wharf Bus-stop, in the Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Salau told our correspondent that he had gone to the PTML terminal in Tincan to clear a vehicle when he was attacked and shot in the leg by the official.
He said, “I cleared a Toyota RAV 4 2019 model from the PTML terminal, Tincan on March 17, 2021. The owner of the vehicle and a friend, Monday, were both in the vehicle when I drove to the Berger checkpoint, where the customs officers from the Federal Operations Unit stopped me and ordered me to wind down the window of the car. The customs officers were about 20 at the checkpoint. Immediately I wound down, a two-star customs officer started hitting me with a gun.
“The officer brought out a jackknife and attempted to stab me, but I waived it. The same officer ordered me to get down from the car and immediately my right leg stepped on the ground, he shot me. Read more