Tag: Police

Police operatives at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, have arrested a popular socialite over his alleged involvement in a N447 million land fraud.

The suspect, Olaseni Johnson Olayinka alias Abu Abel, was arrested during an operation led by CSP Taiwo Oyewole at a residence in Victoria Island where he was allegedly hiding.

It was gathered that the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in charge of FCID, Mrs Margaret Ochalla ordered Olayinka’s arrest following a petition by Doyin Investment Group of Companies.

The petitioner had alleged that the suspect fraudulently sold them three plots of land situated at Augustina Orji Street, within Ojomu Chieftaincy Family land, Oke-Arin Village, Mayegun, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos.

He was alleged to have represented himself as the owner of the three plots (1, 4 and 10) measuring about 1,800.311 square metres in 2023.

Abu Abel allegedly convinced the company to pay N447 million for the property and a Deed of Assignment was duly executed between the parties.

However, following the transaction, the company discovered that the land was already encumbered and subject to a third-party claim.

When confronted, the suspect admitted he was aware of the issue and promised to refund the payment. He was said to have refunded N230 million in bits but defaulted on the balance of N217 million.

He was said to have become evasive and subsequently started threatening officials of the company.

According to the petitioner, Abu Abel on January 11, 2024, signed a written undertaking to repay the balance and used his property at Block C, Plot 22, Oba Amusa Adebambo Avenue, Lekki, as a collateral but failed to offset the debt.

Rather than submit himself to the agreement, the suspect was alleged to have filed a fundamental human rights enforcement suit, an action the police described as ploy to obstruct justice.

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He was subsequently arrested after weeks of intelligence gathering on his whereabouts.

A source familiar with the case said the suspect was also being investigated for alleged links to a secret cult group reportedly involved in high-profile fraud, land grabbing, and criminal intimidation across Lagos and Ogun states.

“His arrest was ordered by AIG Margaret Ochalla, and executed by CSP Taiwo James and her tactical team. The operation was intelligence-driven and concluded successfully in Abuja,” the source disclosed.

Recovered from the suspect were key documents, including payment receipts, the Deed of Assignment, written undertakings, and correspondence with the complainant.

He is expected to be arraigned soon on multiple charges, including obtaining money under false pretence, criminal breach of trust, and conspiracy to defraud contrary to the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Criminal Code Act.

Meanwhile, Doyin Investment Group has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure the suspect is prosecuted and the company’s outstanding N217 million recovered.

“This was a calculated fraud. We trusted the system, paid the money legally, and now the company is suffering losses. We commend the police for tracking him down, and we are confident that justice will be served,” a company representative stated.

Contacted, the spokesperson for the FCID, ASP Ameenat Mayegun, said she will revert.

The Delta State Police Commissioner, Olufemi Abaniwonda, has ordered the detention of some policemen within the Command for unprofessional conduct leading to the assault of a young man in Asaba, the state capital.

Abaniwonda said the command is aware of a publication circulating on X and other social media channels regarding the unprofessional conduct of some policemen.

Command’s spokesman Bright Edafe said in a statement on Sunday that on receipt of the video, which captured some policemen assaulting a young man around the Asaba Specialist Hospital area on Sunday, the CP immediately ordered that the policemen be identified and brought before the command headquarters for immediate disciplinary action.

Edafe said the men had been identified and detained pending the commencement of their orderly room trial, while their team leader, who is an Assistant Superintendent of Police, had been queried.

The spokesman said, “The CP wishes to reiterate that it’s not in the character of the Command to trample on the rights of citizens, assault or harass people.

“He assures members of the public that the officers concerned will be decisively dealt with in accordance with the extant laws as stipulated in the Police Act and regulations to serve as a deterrent to others, noting that under his watch, such conduct by officers will not be tolerated.

“He has therefore tasked officers and men to uphold the tenets of professional policing in the discharge of their duties with respect to fundamental human rights of all citizens in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“The CP hopes that the actions taken on the erring officers will serve as a deterrent to others.”

He appealed to members of the public to remain calm and assured them of justice.

Operatives of the Force Intelligence Department- Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have neutralised three armed bandits during several armed encounters.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, the successes followed a series of coordinated tactical operations conducted across Taraba, Plateau, Adamawa, Nasarawa, and Niger States.

He said, “The bandits, who attempted to escape upon sighting operatives, were fatally subdued after intense gunfire exchanges, during which they abandoned their weapons and fled into the surrounding terrains with various degrees of gunshot injuries.

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“These operations led to the discovery and recovery of ten (10) AK-47 rifles—weapons linked to various criminal activities, including kidnappings, armed robberies, gun running, and cattle rustling.

“Follow-up tactical operations are ongoing to track, identify, and apprehend fleeing members of the syndicates already indicted to be masterminds of deadly attacks on communities in the affected states.

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has again reaffirmed the Force’s unyielding resolve to uphold national security, as the Nigeria Police Force will continue to sustain and intensify intelligence-led operations to dismantle all criminal enterprises.

“The Force remains resolute in its constitutional duty to protect life and property across Nigeria.

“Citizens are encouraged to continue supporting the Police with actionable intelligence by reporting any suspicious activity to nearby police formations or via official channels.”

The social media has been abuzz following a viral story alleging that officers of Ekpan Division of the Delta State Police Command collected a bribe of N500,000 as bail from a woman arrested for drug trafficking alongside her 11-year-old daughter, Rejoice.

The woman, identified as Esther Ugbologbo, aged 45, was apprehended after her daughter was caught in possession of various hard drugs while riding in a commercial tricycle along Jakpa Road in the Uvwie Local Government Area.

In a confessional video released by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, the suspect admitted to sending her daughter to pick up drugs worth “about N100,000” on the day of the arrest.

Items recovered include tramadol, codeine, Swynol, and a sexual performance enhancer, black diamond.

According to the mother who claimed to have been in the illicit business for two years, she consumed part of the drugs for “health reasons,” while selling the rest to “yahoo boys.”

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While the arrest has been applauded for the involvement of a minor in the drug trade, public attention quickly shifted to the officers’ conduct, following allegations that the woman had to pay N500,000 as bail.

It was gathered that the public outcry led to the suspect’s rearrest and transfer to the Command headquarters in Asaba.

However, the Police Command has remained silent on the N500,000 bail allegation, prompting further backlash from rights groups and members of the public.

Edafe, who confirmed that both the woman and the child had been moved to Asaba for further investigations, did not address the allegations of bribery involving officers of the Ekpan Division in the video.

As of the time of filing this report, he was yet to reply to a text from this reporter requesting confirmation or refund of the money.