The Niger State Police Command has arrested a suspected killer of a vigilante member who had been on the run since 2024.

The suspect, Sudais Zakari of Angwan-Roka, Minna, was arrested alongside Danjuma Idris of Maitumbi on suspicion of robbery.

Zakari was said to have fled after allegedly killing Ibrahim Yahaya, also known as Danladi Baushe, a member of a vigilante group in Maitumbi, in April 2024.

He was also alleged to have participated in several armed robbery incidents in the Maitumbi area in 2025.

The Niger State Police Command spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, said the suspects would be charged to court after investigation.

“On 7th February 2026 at 10.30pm, police operatives attached to Maitumbi Division, led by the DPO with vigilante members, stormed some criminal hideouts around Maitumbi area. In the process, one Sudais Zakari of Angwan-Roka and Danjuma Idris of Maitumbi were arrested.

“Sudais has been on the run for various crimes, including the culpable homicide of one Ibrahim Yahaya a.k.a Danladi Baushe, a member of a vigilante group in Maitumbi.

“The incident occurred sometime in April 2024. Preliminary investigation further revealed that the said Sudais had participated in several armed robbery incidents in Maitumbi area within 2025.

“Danjuma Idris was arrested with breaking tools such as bolt cutter, matchet, screwdriver, plier, bunch of keys, face cap and a bag suspected to be stolen,” he said.

Similarly, Abiodun added that “on 8th February 2026 at about 3am, one Aji Gana was also intercepted and arrested around Maitumbi Roundabout by Operation Flush patrol team, and when searched, the following items were found in his possession: a cutlass, one pitcher, a bunch of keys, a plier, screwdriver, and two handsets.

“All suspects are under further investigation and they will be charged to court after the investigation,” he added.

The Lagos State Police Command has sealed Signatious Hotel in the Ajao Estate area of the state following the mysterious death of Mattias Airenekhueme at the facility, after PUNCH Metro reported the incident.

Mattias was said to have attended a pool party at the hotel on Saturday, January 31, where he had gone to sell tickets and earn money before the tragedy occurred.

His father, Henry Airenekhueme, told our correspondent that he received a distress call that day from one of Mattias’ elder brothers informing him that the young man had been rushed to the Isolo General Hospital and that a family member was urgently needed.

According to him, he arrived at the hospital only to find his son’s lifeless body still inside the vehicle that brought him to the facility.

Airenekhueme disclosed that three persons — the hotel manager and two of Mattias’ friends — were initially arrested in connection with the incident.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro on Thursday, a police source, who did not want to be identified because he was not permitted to speak with the media on the matter, confirmed that operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, had sealed the hotel as part of ongoing investigations.

The source added that the organiser of the pool party had also been arrested, bringing the total number of suspects in custody to four.

“The police have sealed the hotel pending an ongoing investigation into the incident. The organiser of the pool party is also currently in police custody,” the source said.

Airenekhueme further revealed that an autopsy was being conducted to determine the exact cause of death.

“An autopsy is being carried out by the police. We are waiting for the outcome,” he said.

Recounting what he was told about the incident, Airenekhueme said one of Mattias’ friends, who took him to the hospital, claimed they had been sitting together with a lady before he briefly stepped away.

“He said when he returned about five minutes later and tried calling my son, there was no response. The lady told him my son had left the spot, but his phone was still there charging. While searching for him, they later found his body in the swimming pool,” the father narrated.

However, Airenekhueme expressed doubts about the drowning narrative, citing what he described as unusual physical signs on his son’s body.

“If he truly drowned, why was his stomach flat instead of swollen? And why was there foam coming out of his mouth and nose?” he queried.

He said the family immediately reported the case to the police, who visited the hospital, documented the incident, and deposited the body in the morgue.

Also, he alleged that the family later received a call from a man who claimed to be a hotel staff member and asked what it would take to “settle” the matter.

He further claimed that the pool party continued that same night despite the discovery of his son’s body.

Efforts to get a response from the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, were unsuccessful, as calls to her line were not answered. A text message sent to her had yet to be replied to as of the time of filing this report.

The incident has renewed concerns over safety standards at hotels and recreational centres, amid recurring cases of drownings and other fatalities at such facilities across the state.

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The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals and directors of Genting International Co. Limited, Huang Haoyu, also known as Ken, and An Hongxu, to 46 years’ imprisonment each for their roles in a multi-billion-naira cybercrime and money laundering scheme.

Justice Daniel Osiagor, who delivered the judgment, gave the convicts an option of a N56m fine. He also ordered them to undertake three days of community service and directed that they be repatriated to China after serving their sentences and completing the service.

The two were among 792 suspected Internet and cryptocurrency fraud suspects arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Lagos in December 2024.

However, a third defendant, Audu Friday, pleaded not guilty and will stand trial.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, defence counsel, Bridget Omateno, informed the court that Huang and An had decided to change their pleas from not guilty to guilty.

“The first and third defendants have decided to change their pleas. We urge the court to direct that the charges be read to them afresh,” she said.

Although no plea bargain was reached, the court granted the request. After the seven-count charge was re-read, Huang and An pleaded guilty, while Friday maintained his innocence.

The EFCC prosecutor, Bilkisu Bala-Buhari, urged the court to convict the duo based on their admission of guilt.

“The prosecution had earlier called two witnesses before the change of plea,” she said, adding that counts one and two attract life imprisonment, while counts three and four carry 14-year jail terms.

“I humbly pray your lordship to impose the maximum sentence on the convicts in order to serve as a deterrent to the public,” she added.

In his ruling, Justice Osiagor convicted the two men and sentenced each to a cumulative 46 years in prison, with an option of a N56m fine.

“The convicts shall undertake three days of community service and shall be repatriated to their country of origin after serving their sentences and completing the community service,” the judge ordered.

The court also granted the prosecution’s request for the forfeiture of assets recovered during the investigation.

Items forfeited to the Federal Government include 1,596 mobile phones, 2,120 office chairs, 544 office tables, 194 routers, 43 computer systems, a network server, 126 air-conditioning units, generators, vehicles, hundreds of mattresses and bunk beds, thousands of SIM cards across different networks, and other electronic and household items.

The items were recovered from multiple locations, including Oyin Jolayemi Street and Bishop Oluwole Street in Victoria Island, A.J. Marinho Drive, and Modupe Alakija Crescent in Ikoyi.

According to the charge, the defendants allegedly conspired in 2024 to unlawfully access computer systems and recruit Nigerian youths to impersonate foreign nationals online for financial gain, an act said to threaten Nigeria’s economic and social stability, contrary to the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended.

They were also accused of laundering proceeds of fraud, including retaining $1,262,000 USDT in a Binance wallet and $1,300,203 USDT in a Bybit wallet.

The prosecution further alleged that between August and December 2024, the defendants retained N3,407,824,740.78 in Genting International’s Union Bank account, funds believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

They were also said to have transferred N913.9m to an associate, Duliang Pan, who remains at large, and N106.95m to Lagos Oriental Hotel Limited.

Proceedings are expected to continue against Friday and the company on separate charges bordering on unlawful foreign exchange transactions and failure to make statutory declarations to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering.