UPDATED: LAGOS POLICE ARREST 26 SUSPECTS FOR MURDER, ARMED ROBBERY, OTHER CRIMES

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By: Ajape Sefiu A.

…Recovers 4 Firearms, 21 Live Ammunition, 6 Vehicles, Cutlass, Phones, Money, Illicit Drugs

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 26 suspects for various crimes, including murder, armed robbery, defilement, illegal possession of firearms, and fraud.

The arrests were made as part of the Command’s ongoing efforts to curb criminal activities in the state.

Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO) CSP Benjamin Hundeyin disclosed this during a press briefing held at the Command Headquarters on Monday, March 24, 2025.

He highlighted key achievements of the police in the past two weeks, noting that several high-profile cases had been successfully cracked.

According to the police spokesperson, a total of four firearms, 21 rounds of live ammunition, six vehicles, a cutlass, mobile phones, cash, and illicit drugs were recovered from the arrested suspects.

Major Arrests and Recoveries

According to the police, on the 17th of February, 2025, a case of conspiracy and armed robbery was transferred from Okota Division for further investigation. The complainant alleged that his girlfriend, Emmanuella Ogochukwu“, 25 years old, conspired with her brother and his friends to rob him of three iPhones and bitcoins worth about 15 million Naira. Upon receipt of the case and following the confessional statement of Emmanuella Ogochukwu “f,” one Ogbuka Tochukwu “m,” 22 years old, younger brother of Emmanuella Ogochukwu “f,” was trailed and arrested by the operatives of the Command. The complainant’s robbed phones and sum of N6.5m were recovered.

Further investigation led to the arrest of four other suspects that participated in the robbery: Babatunde Ibrahim ‘m’ 23, Michael Odova ‘m’ 24, Seidu Abba ‘m’ 20, and John Wisdom. They were all arrested in Wisdom’s apartment in Okota. A locally made pistol, four cartridges, and an axe were recovered from them.

It added that the investigation is still ongoing to arrest the other four wanted members of the gang.

Similarly, on 13th March, 2025, detectives of the Command arrested one Aderinsola Addiths ‘m’ aged 74 after a report that the suspect allegedly defiled a 13-year-old female in his room at Iju Area on 12th March 2025. The detectives visited the scene, and the survivor was taken to the hospital for examination and treatment. The case has been transferred to the Gender Unit, State Headquarters, for further investigation and prosecution.

Likewise, on 12th March, 2025, operatives of the Command, after receiving information that a group of hoodlums usually disposes of passersby of their valuables every day, early in the morning, along Alaba-Oro, Amukoko, under the pretense of street fighting and would later go into hiding, immediately commenced a discreet investigation to locate their criminal hideout. The operatives arrested the following suspects at the Olufiditi area of Amukoko: Rasaki Ibrahim ‘m,’ aka Ekute, aged 19, and Okikiola Kazeem ‘m,’ aged 28, recovered one cutlass, a small bag containing weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, and some hard drugs.

The command revealed that the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are on to apprehend other wanted suspects, while adding that suspects will be arraigned in a court of competent jurisdiction accordingly.

On the 25th of February, 2025, detectives of the SCID Panti began a discreet investigation based on an intelligence report received about the activities of a syndicate that specialized in robbing victims of their valuables, such as money, both Nigerian and foreign currencies, jewelry, phones, ATM cards, and international passports of various countries.

The detectives on 14th March, 2025, trailed some of the syndicate members to the Iju Ishaga area and arrested the following suspects: Idowu Ajewole ‘m’, Waheed Opeyemi ‘m’, Samuel Bamidele ‘m’, Ajoke Oluwaseun ‘f’, Layide Ogunseun ‘f’, and Adetipe Olubunmi ‘m’. Two Toyota Camry cars with some fake dollar notes were recovered from the suspects. All suspects have made useful statements and are in police custody.

On 19th March, 2025, at about 1125 hrs, a team of detectives of the Command while on township patrol at Oke-Ira Ilogbo, Eremi, got information that one Peter Dike ‘m’ of Oke-Ira Ilogbo, Eremi area, stabbed his wife to death. Hence, the team swiftly raced to the scene where the suspect was arrested, and one kitchen knife stained with blood was recovered from him. The lifeless body of his wife, aged 38, was found in front of him in a pool of her blood. Upon questioning at the station, the suspect confessed to having committed the crime.

The corpse has been removed and deposited at a morgue. The case has been transferred to the SCID for further investigation.

Also, on 21st March, 2025, at about 1801 hrs, operatives of the Command, while on patrol, sighted a group of suspected hoodlums along Aleke-Isiu, Imotu, Ikorodu. The hoodlums, sensing that the team was closing in on them, abandoned a sack and took to their heels.

However, upon searching the sack, one LAR rifle with 12 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition and an SMG rifle without a magazine were recovered.

Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to arrest the wanted suspects. Investigation is in progress.

On March 10, 2025, at about 0900 hours, operatives of the Command received a report that on the same day at approximately 0700 hours, one Musa Zayanu ‘M’ allegedly stabbed one Mahmud ‘M’ aged 25 in the left side of his stomach with a knife at Bolar Site, Abule Egba.

As a result of the severe bleeding from the injury, the victim succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced dead by a doctor. The suspect was promptly arrested, and the knife used in the attack was recovered. The corpse was evacuated by the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit and later deposited at the Mainland General Hospital Mortuary, Yaba, for preservation and autopsy. Case has been transferred to the SCID for further
investigation and prosecution.

It went further; this deals with a report received from a former bank staff alleging that some unidentified persons fraudulently stole the sum of £138,924 (equivalent to ₦277,848,000) from domiciliary accounts of international airlines domiciled in the bank and transferred them into her domiciliary account before collecting all the money.

Following this, the bank reported the matter to the Lagos State Police Command, and an investigation commenced. The following suspects were arrested in connection with the case: Shuaib Oluwatobiloba Olaleye, aged 27, was arrested on March 12, 2025, in Ogun State, and a Toyota Camry 2012/2013 suspected to be proceeds of the crime was recovered from him. Oladunjoye Adegoke, aged 33 years old, was arrested on March
13, 2025 in Victoria Island, Lagos, with a Toyota Camry (Pencil Light) recovered as another proceed of the stolen funds.

Further investigation led to the arrest of Austin Alfred ‘m,’ aged 38, the supervisor of Trade Services Department and Jude Uzobuaku ‘m,’ aged 36, the processor of Trade Services Department, who facilitated the illegal transfer of funds
to foreign accounts provided by the main suspect. The investigation is ongoing.

On March 14, 2025, at about 0400 hours, operatives on routine patrol at Sangotedo, along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, observed the suspicious movement of some boys, namely Emmanuel Cletus ‘m’ aged 32 and Adegor Joshua ‘m’ aged 27. Upon searching them, an automatic pistol and five rounds of live ammunition were found in their possession.

Suspects and exhibits have been transferred to the Command Headquarters for further investigation.

On March 11, 2025, at about 1100 hours, a report was received at Isolo Division that the teacher and principal of Okota Junior Grammar School assaulted a 15-year-old student, resulting in the loss of three teeth by the student.

Operatives swiftly visited the scene and arrested one Kayode Abolarin ‘m’ and Atueyin Martins ‘m,’ the principal and teacher, respectively. The case is being charged to court.

Sequel to intelligence gathered of a syndicate of criminals who specialize in armed robbery and car snatching from the eastern part of the country, bringing their victims’ cars to Lagos and selling them, one Ojo Dolapo M, 22 years old, who received three Lexus 330 and one Lexus 350 2017 model through a woman now at large, was arrested in the Ikotun area of Lagos State. He led a team of operatives to where he sold the cars. One Lexus 350, silver in color, was recovered.

Further investigation led to the recovery of another Lexus 330, black in color, at Ojodu Berger. The suspect is currently assisting a team of operatives to recover the remaining two Lexuses. All suspects are to be charged in court at the conclusion of the investigation.

In conclusion, the Lagos State Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining law and order under CP Olohundare Jimoh. The commissioner urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting law enforcement efforts.

The Lagos State Police Command also thanked the State Government for its continual provision of logistics and operational support.

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