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Lagos policemen treated us like criminals, says tech worker

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A Lagos-based tech expert, Caleb Okechukwu, has accused policemen attached to the Orile Police Division of abducting him and his friend, Christopher Onyejekwe, on their way back home from their business place.

Okechukwu, who narrated his ordeal in a post on his Facebook page on Tuesday, titled “How Orile Police Division, Lagos, Kidnapped Me and My Friend”, claimed that the incident occurred on Sunday, November 2, 2025.

He stated that he and his friend were heading home when a Sienna bus double-crossed them in the process.

According to him, armed policemen suddenly emerged from the vehicle in what he described as a “commando style” and bundled them into the vehicle without any explanation.

Okechukwu added that the officers also assaulted him in the vehicle while attempting to seize his phone from him.

He also accused the policemen of abducting some other people in the same manner, while giving them no space to identify themselves.

The post partly read, “On November 2, 2025, while rounding off my engagements in the ever-busy city of Lagos, I and my friend, Humble Chris, headed to retire for the day. Having alighted the booked rider, we walked to connect to the street. While on that, a Sienna bus double-crossed us in a commando style. Christopher Onyejekwe and I maintained calm while holding our belongings tightly.

“Before we could say a word, the men forced us into their Sienna bus without allowing us to identify who we are. These men were well armed with AK-47 rifles with 3 extra magazines each. While they drove us, I asked them who they were; one of them said harshly, “When you get to where we are going, this your English won’t save you.

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“They seized my friend’s phone. Immediately, the phone rang while the other man, believed to be in his late 50s, wanted to forcefully take my phone, which faced resistance from me, and he gave me an uppercut on my jaw before I succumbed to his use of force. These men drove and got some other people kidnapped in such a commando style, while giving them no space to identify themselves. Some of the victims were strongly brutalised, while some were given blown eyes and physical injuries.”

Okechukwu alleged that the men eventually drove them to the Orile Police Station, seized their phones, and detained them overnight without interrogation.

While he further likened their operation to that of kidnappers demanding ransom, the victim said the officers released their phones to them the next morning and asked them to call their relatives to come forward to bail them.

He, however, identified two of the officers they encountered at the station as Mary Abimbola and one Kally, while accusing them of unprofessional conduct.

“When we were brought into the station that night, it was Inspector Mary Abimbola who wrote our names, and in the morning, it became so obvious that she is everything a good police officer should NEVER be; her conduct was rude even to the elderly.

“Another officer who accused me of trying to be the smart one is Kally, believed to be an inspector. He is fair, slim, inhumane, and unprofessional. He slaps at anyone at will. Very wicked man that has children. He attacked even the people who came for my friend and me,” he stated.

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Okechukwu said it took the intervention of traders and community leaders from the Oduade Market before they were eventually released, adding that the incident caused significant financial loss to their businesses.

Onyejekwe, who confirmed the development while sharing the post on his Facebook wall, wrote, “How my friend Caleb Okechukwu and I were kidnapped by Orile Igamnu police division in Lagos.”

When contacted, the state police command spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, said efforts were ongoing to identify the officers.

“Efforts are currently underway to identify the officers. We will communicate the outcome of the investigation to you.”

The alleged abduction comes amid growing public criticism of police misconduct in the state, with several residents in recent times accusing operatives of harassment, extortion, and illegal detention, especially at night patrol points.

PUNCH Metro reported in September that a student, Olawale Ayomide, accused officers attached to the Igbeba Police Station in the Ijebu Ode area of Ogun State of extorting N99,000 from him.

The victim, who narrated his ordeal to PUNCH Metro, said one of the officers forgot his official cap in his vehicle after allegedly perpetrating the act.

According to Olawale, the policemen stopped him while he was travelling in his mother’s vehicle from Sagamu to Ijebu-Ode and accused him of driving a car without a number plate.

He said that despite explaining that the car belonged to his mother, who was still processing the registration documents, the officers ignored him and insisted he should follow them to their station.

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Crime

EFCC to grill Malami as probe may open Buhari-era asset recovery deals to fresh scrutiny

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Former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), says he has been invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a move that could reopen long-standing questions around asset recoveries, seized-asset disposals and contract approvals handled during the Buhari administration.

Malami revealed this in a statement he personally signed and shared on Facebook, reaffirming his readiness to honour the invitation. He maintained that his public service record has always been shaped by accountability and transparency.

“This is to confirm that I have been invited by the EFCC. As a law-abiding and patriotic citizen, I hereby reaffirm my commitment to honour the invitation,” Malami wrote.

He stressed that the ideals of openness and responsible governance have guided his conduct over the years. “I understand the spirit of accountability and transparency in public service, the principles that I both advocate and champion,” the ex-Justice Minister stated.

Malami explained that he had already informed his family and friends of the development, noting that the EFCC had asked him to clarify certain issues, and he was prepared to do so.

“I am informing my family and friends that EFCC has invited me to clarify on some issues, and as a citizen of law and order and patriot, I am willing to honor this invitation without any hesitation,” he declared.

He also emphasised that honesty and integrity had always shaped his approach to leadership during his years in government.

“I believe in the importance of honesty, integrity and honesty in leadership, these are principles I’ve long supported and uphold, over the years I’ve spent in public service,” he said.

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Malami added that he would keep Nigerians informed as events unfold, saying transparency remains important in matters of public interest.

“On this note, I am informing Nigerians of any development that will follow, so that everyone will be aware,” he added.

As of the time of filing this report, Malami had not yet arrived at the EFCC headquarters. Officials of the Commission say they only intend to obtain “certain information” from him.

However, Saturday Vanguard learnt that the invitation may be linked to several controversial decisions taken during his tenure. These include high-profile asset recoveries, the sale or disposal of seized vessels and oil, and contract approvals that had earlier drawn public scrutiny.

According to sources, some of these actions raised concerns about the transparency and management of recovered national assets.

The EFCC has yet to release details on the full scope of its inquiry.

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37 Katsina kidnap victims regain freedom after negotiations with bandits -Lawmaker

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Bandits have released 37 villagers abducted from Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State after weeks of negotiations that led to a peace agreement, a lawmaker, Abdulraham Kandarawa, has said.

Kandarawa, who represents Bakori Constituency in the state House of Assembly, said on Friday that the latest release brought the number of freed villagers to 82.

He had earlier disclosed that 45 captives were freed under the same peace arrangement.

Speaking to journalists in Katsina, Kandarawa said the villagers, held in Sabe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, were released without ransom following sustained negotiations with the bandits.

“Today, through the grace of God, we have finally received our people who were held captive. Insha Allah, they are back, and none is left in their hands,” he said.

The released hostages include 17 women, two infants, and 18 men.

Kandarawa emphasised that the bandits had promised to release the captives if the community maintained peace, a commitment they fulfilled.

“We want to call on all citizens to embrace peace. It is everybody’s business. If we have offended anyone, we will amend, just to live in peace,” Kandarawa appealed, highlighting the negotiation’s foundation on promises of non-violence.

The lawmaker thanked the bandits for adhering to their word, stressing that no ransom was paid.

“This is what they promised, and they fulfilled it today,” he said.

However, Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda has earlier denied negotiations with bandits while on several fora said it was purely a community initiative while he applauded the initiative as well celebrated the return of peace to the state through the truce.

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Crime

50 Nigerians arrested in India drug busts

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No fewer than 50 Nigerians have been arrested in one of India’s largest coordinated crackdowns on a transnational narcotics network. They are believed to be linked to a sprawling drug-distribution and hawala laundering syndicate spread across several major cities in India.

According to a report on Thursday by NDTV, an Indian news agency, the operation was led by the Delhi Police in collaboration with the Telangana Police’s EAGLE unit.

It was reported that months of intelligence gathering culminated in days of simultaneous raids across Delhi, leading officers to dismantle key layers of a cartel moving methamphetamine and cocaine across India.

According to the report, investigations revealed that the cartel maintained an extensive customer base using encrypted communication and delivery methods modelled after food-delivery apps to execute drug “dead drops” and avoid face-to-face exchanges.

“The network was extremely sophisticated. They used layered communication channels and app-based delivery patterns to evade law-enforcement detection,” the report stated.

Officials also disclosed that the syndicate’s distribution chain was intertwined with a sex-trade ring, which provided both cover and logistics for drug circulation.

The report reads, “Investigators have identified approximately 2,000 individuals who were supplied drugs through courier and dead-drop methods.”

“Furthermore, the authorities uncovered that the sex trade was used as a cover for drug supply and distribution, extending the criminal reach of the cartel.”

The report further stated, “The operation, which involved months of intelligence gathering, culminated with the arrest of 50 Nigerian nationals in Delhi. This massive effort was executed in close collaboration with the Telangana Police’s Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement, along with police teams from Noida, Vizag, and Gwalior.”

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On the financial side, authorities said the cartel routed its proceeds through hawala operators. The illicit profits were converted into goods, including garments and human hair, which were exported to Lagos, Nigeria, disguising the drug earnings as legitimate trade.

“The proceeds from drug sales were funnelled through local hawala operators who converted the Indian Rupees into goods such as garments and human hair, shipped to Lagos, Nigeria, effectively cleaning the illicit earnings.”

“One identified kingpin is suspected to have laundered at least ₹15 crore through these hawala channels alone,” the report added.

The report, however, noted that the recent arrest of the 50 Nigerian nationals marked a pivotal moment in multi-agency efforts to root out these persistent drug cartels.

PUNCH Metro had earlier reported multiple arrests of Nigerians in India over synthetic-drug trafficking, including seizures in Bengaluru, Delhi and Goa, where foreign nationals were linked to methamphetamine circuits.

The latest coordinated crackdown, which resulted in the arrest of 50 suspects of Nigerian nationality, is now regarded by Indian police as a major step toward disrupting what they described as an “entrenched and continually evolving” narcotics supply chain.

Police officials said the next phase of the investigation will focus on tightening immigration checks, tracking hawala facilitators, and identifying remaining cartel commanders believed to be operating from outside India.

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