Crime
Policemen who killed six traders in Lagos released… DCP, Falana fume
The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has released four policemen and a developer, Abiodun Ariori, who were accused of killing six traders in Owode Onirin, in the Kosofe area of the state.
The suspects were freed after the Directorate of Public Prosecutions issued legal advice indicating that the cops acted in self-defence.
In the legal advice, signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Babajide Martins, and obtained exclusively by Saturday PUNCH on Friday, the DPP blamed investigators for not providing evidence that could sustain charges of manslaughter.
The victims were shot dead by the policemen, identified as Musa Bala, Ahmed Abass, Ibrahim Kasimu and Ibrahim Garba.
The cops were brought from Nasarawa by Ariori to enforce an alleged court order which gave the rights to the land occupied by the traders to a Lagos family.
Ariori was said to be the family’s agent.
In the course of the enforcement, chaos broke out, and the six traders were shot dead.
The victims were identified as Adeoye Taiwo, Akinloye Seyi, Wale Adebayo, Abraham Idowu, Dare Salaudeen and Adeoye Akeem.
The policemen and the Ariori were then arrested and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Lagos State.
However, the matter was transferred to Abuja.
The cops were freed and Ariori granted bail.
It was learnt that after the protests, charges were filed against the suspects.
However, the DPP, in its legal advice dated Tuesday, March 3, said there was no prima facie evidence to justify their prosecution.
According to the Director, Martins, the four police officers were attacked by a mob with weapons during the incident.
Martins noted that one of the officers was injured and dispossessed of his rifle.
He further stated that Ariori was not present at the scene when the incident occurred.
On possible manslaughter charges, the DPP said the police failed to provide forensic evidence necessary to establish the cause of death and link any of the suspects to the killings.
He said there was no autopsy report on the deceased, no ballistic analysis of bullets recovered, and no examination report on the rifles issued to the officers.
“From the available facts in the file, there is no positive evidence to prove that the suspects are responsible for the death of the deceased persons.
“Therefore, this office shall not prosecute Inspr Musa Bala, Inspr Ahmed Abass, Cpl Ibrahim Kasimu, Cpl Ibrahim Garba and Abiodun Akeem Ariori for the offences of felony and involuntary manslaughter contrary to sections 411 and 224 of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015 and any charge against them is hereby withdrawn,” Martins stated.
But the police said there was enough evidence to prosecute the suspects.
A letter, dated March 5, 2026, from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, and addressed to the DPP, stated that the police attached relevant evidence to the case file.
The letter was signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of SCID, DCP Dayo Akinbisehin.
According to Akinbisehin, autopsy reports from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and ballistic examination findings from the Force Criminal Investigation Department indicated that the suspects were responsible for the death of the traders.
According to the letter, the findings showed that “all the suspects are culpable” and the state had a strong case capable of standing trial.
The deputy police commissioner urged the DPP to review the legal advice and allow the prosecution of the suspects.
“It is evidently clear from the findings in the painstaking investigation carried out by the police that all the suspects, namely: Inspr Manu Bala, Inspr Ahmed Abass, Cpl Ibrahim Kasimu, Cpl Ibrahim Garba and one Abiodun Akeem Ariori, are all culpable and that the state has a good case that can stand the test of trial against them.
“However, the earlier report from the DPP has been taken cognisance of, but the emerging reality from the evidence from the autopsy report and ballistic examination report attached are strong enough for the DPP to take a second look at the advice and allow all the suspects to be prosecuted so that they can indeed have their days in court.
“This will go a long way in entrenching sanctity of the law in the overall interest of justice, public safety, public order and protection of lives and property for which the Nigeria Police is constitutionally charged alongside other enabling laws of the country,” he said.
Reacting to the matter, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, insisted that the case was far from concluded.
Falana, a human rights activist and lawyer to the traders, said his legal team would furnish the required information to the DPP to ensure a full and fair assessment of the case.
He added that a civil suit would also be filed to seek compensation for the families of the deceased.
“I have just been informed that they were freed on the legal advice of the Lagos State Director of Public due to the fact that certain information was not provided. We are going to avail the DPP of the required information.
“The matter of the illegal killing of the six unarmed traders will be pursued to a logical conclusion in the interest of justice. In addition, we are going to file a civil case for adequate compensation on behalf of the families of the deceased,” Falana said.
ABUJA — The Senate has passed the State Police Bill, introducing a new policing structure across the country, but with strict provisions preventing existing local and regional security outfits from automatically transforming into state police agencies or bearing firearms.
The bill, which is part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process, stipulates that security outfits such as Amotekun in the South-West, Ebube Agu in the South-East, Hisbah in parts of the North and other community-based security groups will not automatically assume the status of state police services once the law takes effect.
Under Section 25(5) of the proposed legislation, no existing state, local, community, vigilante, neighbourhood, traffic or other security outfit shall become a State Police Service merely by virtue of the constitutional amendment.
The provision further states that such organisations will not be permitted to exercise police powers or carry firearms unless specifically authorised under the Constitution and an Act of the National Assembly.
The clause is designed to ensure that any future state police formation follows a formal constitutional and legal process rather than evolving from existing regional security structures.
The Senate also included safeguards against abuse of the proposed state police system.
Under the bill, each state police service will be headed by a Commissioner of Police, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the State House of Assembly. Governors may issue lawful policy directives on matters relating to public safety and order.
However, the legislation expressly prohibits a state police commissioner from arresting, detaining, investigating or deploying force against any individual, political party or group merely for criticising the government, except in accordance with the law.
To strengthen accountability, the bill allows either the Inspector-General of Police or a State Commissioner of Police to seek a review of any directive considered unlawful or inconsistent with national policing standards. Such disputes may also be challenged in court.
The proposed law further provides that a state police commissioner cannot be suspended or removed arbitrarily. Removal must be based on stated grounds, follow the principles of fair hearing, receive a recommendation from the National Police Council and secure the approval of at least two-thirds of members of the State House of Assembly.
The legislation also outlines circumstances under which the Federal Police Service may intervene in the operations of a state police service. These include situations where public order has broken down, where a state police service becomes incapable of performing its duties, or where there is evidence of systematic abuse of powers, partisan intimidation, ethnic or religious persecution, or threats to national security.
Any federal intervention must be temporary, proportionate and authorised by the President, with the action remaining subject to judicial review.
The bill additionally proposes the establishment of a State Police Service Commission in every state to oversee recruitment, promotions, discipline and accountability within state police services.
Having secured Senate approval, the bill will now proceed to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for ratification. For the constitutional amendment to take effect, it must be approved by at least 24 state assemblies.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed claims circulating on social media that a police officer was seen fraternizing with armed bandits in Katsina State, describing the narrative attached to a viral video as false, misleading, and deliberately intended to misinform the public.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Okokon Edem Iniedu, clarified that the armed individuals captured in the video are not bandits but duly recognized members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and registered hunters working alongside security agencies in Katsina State.
According to the police, the video showed a routine interaction between a police officer and community security volunteers who were on their way to a designated operational area in Musawa and Matazu Local Government Areas as part of ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity and protect local communities.
The Force said any suggestion that the officer was collaborating with criminal elements is entirely false and malicious. It stressed that the volunteers featured in the footage are legitimate partners in security operations and are actively supporting law enforcement efforts in the affected areas.
The police further condemned what it described as the deliberate distortion of facts and the spread of misinformation capable of creating public panic, eroding confidence in security institutions, and undermining ongoing operations against criminal groups.
Reaffirming its commitment to community-based policing, the NPF urged Nigerians to disregard the claims attached to the video and rely only on information released through official police and government channels. The Force also warned that individuals involved in creating or spreading false information capable of threatening public peace and security could face legal consequences.
TheInsightLensProject.com is a data-driven open-source intelligence and analysis platform delivering insights on Nigeria, Africa, and global affairs.
A United States federal court has sentenced Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, to five years in prison for his role in a romance fraud scheme that authorities said defrauded victims of more than $3.5 million. The sentence marks a dramatic fall for the Nigerian local government chairman, whose case drew attention on both sides of the Atlantic.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, the 42-year-old was convicted for operating a long-running online fraud scheme that targeted vulnerable people through dating websites. Prosecutors said Nwadialo used fake identities and false stories to build trust with victims before persuading them to send large sums of money.
The court heard that Nwadialo spent nearly 15 years posing as a romantic partner on platforms including Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café. Using aliases such as “Giovanni,” he allegedly claimed to be a military officer serving overseas and relied on stolen photographs to support his false identity. Authorities said he requested money for fabricated military penalties, family emergencies, funeral expenses, school fees, and investment opportunities.
During sentencing in Tacoma, U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright described the scheme as deeply damaging, noting that victims suffered serious financial, emotional, and psychological harm. Investigators said several victims lost their life savings, while one widow reportedly sold assets and eventually lost her home after sending money to the fraudster. Another victim believed she was in a genuine relationship with him for three years before learning the truth through an FBI investigation.
Federal prosecutors said Nwadialo deliberately targeted older and vulnerable individuals, including widows and divorcees seeking companionship online. The FBI, which led the investigation, said the scheme demonstrated how fraudsters exploit trust and emotional connections for financial gain. The case was prosecuted by federal attorneys Sok Tea Jiang and David T. Martin.
Nwadialo was arrested in Texas in 2024 after arriving in the United States and was later charged with 14 counts of wire fraud. His conviction and sentencing bring to a close a case that authorities say caused devastating losses to multiple victims, while also highlighting the growing global effort to combat online romance scams and other forms of cyber-enabled fraud.
TheInsightLensProject.com is a data-driven open-source intelligence and analysis platform delivering insights on Nigeria, Africa, and global affairs.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command, in a joint security operation with other security agencies, has neutralised four suspected gunmen allegedly involved in terrorising residents along the Ogboji-Ajalli axis of Orumba North and Orumba South Local Government Areas.
The operation also led to the recovery of a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), AK-47 rifles, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other incriminating items.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the security operatives acted on credible intelligence regarding the movement of heavily armed members of a suspected secessionist armed group operating in a Toyota Sienna vehicle.
According to him, “During the operation, security operatives neutralised four
members of the armed gang and recovered a cache of weapons, ammunition, explosive devices, and other incriminating items.”
Items recovered include one GPMG with 53 rounds of linked live ammunition, two AK-47 rifles, two magazines, 29 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, 13 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, four undetonated IEDs, police camouflage uniforms and accessories, and a white Toyota Sienna bus with registration number KJA 919 KH (Lagos).
Other recovered items were 10 Android phones, two feature phones, a laptop computer, a Point-of-Sale (POS) machine, two power banks, assorted charms, two live cartridges, ATM cards, a National Identification Card, and a driver’s licence belonging to identified individuals.
Ikenga explained that the operation was carried out during a visibility and confidence-building patrol following intelligence gathered over time on the activities of the suspected criminals.
Preliminary investigations indicate that some members of the gang escaped into nearby bushes with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.
Consequently, the Joint Security Team has intensified combing and search operations in the area to apprehend the fleeing suspects and recover additional weapons and operational equipment.
The Anambra State Police Command reiterated its commitment, in collaboration with other security agencies, to sustaining proactive, intelligence-driven operations aimed at safeguarding lives and property across the state.
A tragic incident has occurred in Enugu State after a 16-year-old student, Chibueze Odo, was allegedly stabbed to death by his friend and roommate following a disagreement over a mobile phone.
Chibueze, a Senior Secondary School student of Ugbaike Technical Secondary School, Enugu-Ezike, in Igbo Eze North Local Government Area, was reportedly killed on Saturday evening in Obollo Afor, where he was also serving as a part-time apprentice.
According to reports, the suspect, identified as Arinze, allegedly invited the deceased to a location in Obollo Afor before attacking him. The victim sustained fatal stab wounds to the neck and died at the scene.
The suspect reportedly told police investigators that Chibueze had previously lost his phone, prompting him to lend the deceased a faulty spare phone for repairs and temporary use.
The deceased
He claimed that when he later requested the phone back, Chibueze demanded reimbursement of N14,500, covering repair costs and the purchase of a memory card.
Arinze allegedly told police that an argument ensued when he asked for the phone and Chibueze insisted on receiving the money before returning it.
According to the suspect’s account, he stabbed Chibueze after the disagreement escalated.
Sources close to the victim’s family said Chibueze, who hailed from the Ukwuagbudu area of Ugbaike, had left his workplace after being invited to the meeting where he was attacked.
The sources further disclosed that the suspect is believed to be from the neighbouring Umuogbo Inyi community in Enugu-Ezike.
Family members said the deceased was accompanied by two others, including his elder brother, Nnanna, shortly before the incident occurred.
The body of the victim has been deposited at Dr. Eze Mortuary in Obollo Afor for an autopsy, while police investigations into the incident are ongoing.
The tragic killing has sparked grief and outrage within the community, with residents calling for justice for the deceased student.
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