Crime

UK court remands man over murder of 41-year-old Nigerian

Published

3 weeks ago

June 8, 2026

A United Kingdom court has remanded a 32-year-old man, Maxwell Oguanaya, in custody over the alleged murder of a 41-year-old Nigerian, Taiwo Ekerin, following an assault in Lewisham, London.

The Metropolitan Police disclosed this in a statement obtained by PUNCH Metro on Sunday.

The police noted that Oguanaya was charged with murder after Ekerin died from injuries sustained during an altercation.

According to the statement, officers were called to Lewisham High Street at about 4:40am on May 24, following reports of an altercation.

The police said Ekerin later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on May 30.

The statement read, “Police were called at around 04:40hrs on Sunday, 24 May, to Lewisham High Street following reports of an altercation.

“Officers attended the scene and discovered a 41-year-old man with a serious head injury. He was treated at the scene by colleagues from the London Ambulance Service and taken to the hospital. On Saturday, 30 May, he was sadly pronounced dead.

“He can now be named Taiwo Ekerin. His next of kin are being supported by specialist officers.”

The Metropolitan Police said Oguanaya, 32, of Eastfield Road, Enfield, was arrested on suspicion of murder on June 4 and charged the following day.

Oguanaya appeared before Ealing Magistrates’ Court on June 5, where he was remanded in custody pending further proceedings.

The police said he is expected to appear in court again on June 9.

“Maxwell Oguanaya, 32 (21.07.1993), of Eastfield Road, Enfield, was arrested on suspicion of murder on Thursday, 4 June.

“He was charged on Friday, 5 June, and appeared at Ealing Magistrates’ Court on the same day. He was remanded in custody and will next appear on Tuesday, June 9,” the police added.

The statement also disclosed that a second man, aged 34, was arrested on suspicion of murder on June 5 and remains in police custody while investigations continue.

The police have yet to reveal the circumstances surrounding the altercation that resulted in Ekerin’s death.

Meanwhile, Taiwo’s brother, Kehinde Ekerin, confirmed that he died from an unprovoked assault during a night out.

In a GoFundMe appeal, Ekerin said the family seeks public support to cover funeral costs.

“It is with profound sadness and heartbreak that we share the passing of our beloved Taiwo Ekerin, who tragically lost his life following an unprovoked attack during a night out.

Born on 25th December 1984, Ekerin was a much-loved father, son, brother, uncle, and friend. He shared a special bond with his twin brother, and his loss left an unimaginable void in the lives of all who knew and loved him.

“Above all, Taiwo was a devoted father to his daughter, who now faces the future without her dad. He was known for his warmth, kindness, sense of humour, and the love he gave so freely to those around him. His life was taken far too soon, and our family is struggling to come to terms with this devastating tragedy.

“As we prepare to lay Taiwo to rest, we are asking for support to help cover funeral expenses and give him the dignified farewell he deserves. Any contribution, no matter how small, will help ease the financial burden on the family during this incredibly difficult time,” the appeal read.

As of the time of filing this report, a total of £3,710 has been raised out of the £10,000 target.

PUNCH Metro reported on Friday that a 28-year-old Congolese man, Benjamin Katabana, was found guilty of murdering a UK-based Nigerian student, Uchenna Okirie, following a fatal stabbing at a shared accommodation in Norwich, England.

Katabana was found guilty by a jury at Norwich Crown Court on Wednesday after an 11-day trial.

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Crime

Police hunt kidnappers in Lagos, Ogun forests during Operation Kasoye

Published

12 hours ago

June 29, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Security operatives from Lagos and Ogun states have launched a joint offensive against criminal networks operating along the border corridor between the two states, leading to the arrest of 88 suspects, the rescue of five kidnapped victims, the recovery of arms and ammunition, and the death of four suspected criminals during encounters with security personnel.

The operation, codenamed Operation Kosaye, a Yoruba phrase meaning “there is no hiding place,” was initiated by the Nigeria Police Force to dismantle kidnapping syndicates, armed robbery gangs and other violent criminal groups exploiting forests and border communities between Lagos and Ogun states as hideouts.

The development followed coordinated operations by the Lagos and Ogun State police commands, with operatives combing forest locations and criminal hideouts along the J3/J4 axis of Ogbere in Ogun State and other identified flashpoints around the two states.

The operation had already yielded significant outcomes, including the rescue of five kidnap victims, the arrest of 88 suspects and the neutralisation of four suspected kidnappers.

The operation was formally launched by the police at the Police Training School, Iperu-Remo, Ogun State, where the Commissioners of Police in Ogun and Lagos states, Bode Ojajuni and Tijani Fatai, respectively, outlined the objectives of the initiative.

Ojajuni said the operation was designed to flush out kidnappers and other violent criminals hiding in forests, border communities and ungoverned spaces across the two states.

He said the name “Kosaye” captured the mission of the security operation, ensuring that criminals had no safe haven within the Lagos-Ogun axis.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun have commended the security initiative, describing the operation as evidence of the importance of inter-state collaboration in tackling insecurity.

Sanwo-Olu, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, praised the police and other security agencies for what he described as a “massive onslaught” against criminal elements.

The governor said the results recorded under the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing and cooperation between neighbouring states.

“We will continue to work with the police and other security agencies to ensure that our state is safe and secure for residents and visitors.

“We appreciate the huge efforts of the police as directed by Inspector-General Olatunji Disu, in arresting the suspects and the cooperation of our neighbours, Ogun State. This is the way it should be,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He urged residents to continue supporting security agencies by providing timely information on criminal activities and suspected hideouts.

“We will do our best to ensure that our law enforcement agencies are well motivated through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund,” the governor said.

Abiodun, on his part, described the operation as a proactive and intelligence-driven response to emerging security threats.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, the governor said the collaboration between both states had restored public confidence in the ability of security agencies to protect lives and property.

“The achievements recorded under ‘Operation Kosaye’ have restored public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force and reinforced the commitment of security agencies to the protection of lives and property,” Abiodun said.

He added that the sustained security offensive had made Lagos and Ogun increasingly difficult environments for criminals seeking to exploit state boundaries.

“The sustained offensive against criminal elements has effectively made Ogun and Lagos States increasingly hostile to kidnappers, bandits and other violent criminals who had attempted to exploit the shared border communities as safe havens,” he said.

Abiodun also commended the Inspector-General of Police, as well as the Lagos and Ogun police commissioners and participating officers, for their roles in the operation.

According to him, the exercise showed that criminals could only be effectively tackled when security agencies shared intelligence and operated beyond jurisdictional limitations.

“Operation Kosaye has demonstrated the importance of collaboration, intelligence sharing and coordinated inter-state action in tackling emerging security threats,” he said.

The Ogun governor urged other states to adopt similar joint security frameworks to prevent criminals from taking advantage of administrative boundaries to evade arrest.

Security authorities said the operation would continue as operatives intensify surveillance and intelligence gathering across forests, border communities and other locations identified as possible criminal hideouts.

Lagos and Ogun State governments also reaffirmed their commitment to providing logistical support, technology and other resources to strengthen security operations across the two states.

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Crime

Photos: NDLEA Intercepts ₦12.3 Billion Canadian Loud, Busts Drug Syndicate

Published

1 day ago

June 28, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a businesswoman, Iwebema Ogechi Peace, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, after allegedly discovering 7.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a false compartment of her luggage.

This was disclosed in a statement to Naija News on Sunday signed by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.

The 38-year-old suspect, who claimed she regularly travelled to China to purchase goods for sale in Nigeria, was arrested on June 21 while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to Beijing.

According to the NDLEA, the arrest followed credible intelligence, while a search of her luggage uncovered four large parcels of cocaine professionally concealed beneath a false bottom.

In another major operation, the anti-narcotics agency recovered 4,959 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, with an estimated street value of ₦12.397 billion at the Apapa Port in Lagos.

The seizure followed more than four weeks of intelligence-led surveillance on a 40-foot container carrying 195 sacks of the illicit substance alongside a Ford and a Nissan vehicle.

The container was tracked from Toronto, Canada, through Montreal and Morocco before arriving in Lagos.

The drugs were recovered during a joint examination involving officers of the NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.

The agency also uncovered a syndicate allegedly involved in planting illicit drugs inside the luggage of unsuspecting interstate travellers.

The operation began after NDLEA operatives intercepted a Sienna bus travelling from Nnewi, Anambra State, to Abuja at Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory.

A package containing 467.7 grams of methamphetamine concealed inside a bag of clothes was recovered during the search.

The supposed recipient, Gloria Peter, was arrested at Utako Motor Park but denied ownership of the package.

Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of loaders in Nnewi, who allegedly confessed that the package had been secretly placed in the woman’s luggage on the instruction of the bus driver, Abdurrazak Isah.

The driver later identified another passenger, Onyebuchi Victor Okoye, as the owner of the illicit consignment, leading to his arrest in Abuja.

NDLEA operatives also arrested two nationals of the Benin Republic, Hossou Tito Julien, 30, and Mancellim Dossou, 19, alongside a Nigerian, Jackson ThankGod, after intercepting a truck conveying 558,900 pills of Tramadol 250mg.

The truck, travelling from Togo through the Benin Republic into Nigeria, was intercepted on the Mile 2 Bridge in Lagos following intelligence reports.

A search of the vehicle uncovered the tramadol tablets hidden inside a fabricated compartment.

In another operation, officers arrested 57-year-old Ikechukwu Uwakwe at the Iddo Motor Park in Lagos with 209.5 kilograms of Scottish Loud allegedly destined for Enugu State.

Along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Lucky Abonga and Osas Azamobo were arrested while transporting 118 kilograms of skunk concealed among legitimate goods in a truck travelling from Lagos to Onitsha.

Similarly, Helen Ese Idiji, 40, and Rashidat Sa’adullah, 53, were arrested in the Amukoko area of Lagos with 28.8 kilograms of skunk.

Investigations indicated that Helen allegedly stored the illicit drugs at Rashidat’s residence before distributing them to customers.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations for their sustained efforts in drug supply reduction and public sensitisation under the War Against Drug Abuse campaign.

He urged personnel across the country to remain vigilant and sustain the momentum in the fight against illicit drug trafficking and abuse.

Source: naijanews.com

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Crime

PHOTOS: Police arrest two women for alleged child trafficking and ritual activities, rescue four children in Niger State

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

The Niger State Police Command has rescued four children from suspected traffickers operating under the guise of adoption and orphanage services.

Spokesperson for the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, June 26, 2026 said the suspects, Promise Chukwudi, 68, and her accomplice, Mrs Suzanna Onojekwo, 62, were arrested for child trafficking and ritual activities.

According to the PPRO, the children were recovered on June 3, 2026, during a raid on a residence behind the old NEPA area in Suleja, where police arrested the two women.

One of the children was found in Onojekwo’s residence on Church Road in the same town.

The suspects claimed the children, all originally from Karim-Lamido in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State, had been lawfully released to them by their parents between November 2025 and February 2026 for adoption purpose.

Contrary to the suspects’ claims, several parents from Abuja, Nasarawa, and Benue States emerged to claim the children.

Mrs Chukwudi said she previously operated an orphanage known as Precious Promise Nursery, Primary and Orphanage Home in 2022, which she resumed in November 2025, and that she described herself as a licensed herbal medical practitioner.

During a search of her residence, a shrine, animal skulls, pieces of multi-coloured clothing and bird feathers, amongst other fetish items, were discovered.

“Police operatives of the Command’s State Intelligence Department, acting on reliable information on 3rd June 2026 mobilized to a location behind old Nepa area, Suleja where a suspected child trafficker and ritualist was arrested, and four children between the ages of 4-7yrs were rescued,” the statement read.

“The suspects arrested include; Mrs Promise Chukwudi 68yrs of Suleja, and her accomplice, Mrs Suzanna Onojekwo 62yrs of Church road, Suleja in whose residence one of the children was found.

“The suspects claimed that the children were released to them by their parents, all natives of Karim-Lamido in Gassol LGA of Taraba State, between the months of November to February 2026 for adoption.

“She added that she previously ran an orphanage home called Precious Promise Nursery, Primary & Orphanage home in 2022, but resumed operation in November 2025.

“She also claimed to be a licensed herbal medical practitioner who provides local medicine for ailments.

“During investigations, different parents emerged from Abuja, Nasarawa and Benue States to claim the children contrary to the suspect’s claim and in the course of searching her residence, the following were discovered; a shrine, animal skulls, pieces of multi-coloured clothing and bird feathers, amongst other fetish items.

“The suspects were transferred to the Police headquarters Minna for discreet investigation and the children were handed over to child rights agency for care, as investigation to identify the parents continues.

“The suspects have been charged to court for prosecution.”