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Tag: fraud

  • BREAKING! Alleged N12.3bn fraud: Oba Otudeko’s counsel protests in court

    BREAKING! Alleged N12.3bn fraud: Oba Otudeko’s counsel protests in court

    Counsel to the Chairman of the Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko, charged with N12.3 billion fraud, on Monday appeared before a Federal High Court in Lagos in protest of the charge.

    Mr Bode Olanipekun (SAN) told the court that he was protesting because the charge had not been served on Otudeko and two others charged along with him.

    Olanipekun is the council to the three defendants.

    The 13-count charge was  preferred by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Otudeko, a former Managing Director of First Bank Plc., Olabisi Onasanya; and a former board member of Honeywell, Soji Akintayo.

    They were charged alongside a firm, Anchorage Leisure Ltd.

    EFCC alleged that the defendants obtained the sum under false pretences.

    Details to follow…

  • Ex-First Bank MD, Onasanya denies N12.3bn fraud allegations

    Ex-First Bank MD, Onasanya denies N12.3bn fraud allegations

    The former Group Managing Director of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Limited, Bisi Onasanya. has denied involvement in a N12.3 billion fraud.

    Onasanya was accused of allegedly looting N12.3 billion from First Bank.

    In a statement released to the press over the weekend, Onasanya, who spoke through his Communication Advisor, Mr. Michael Oshunuyi, described the claims as baseless and an attempt to tarnish the stellar reputation of the renowned retired banker and Chartered accountant.

    “Our attention has been drawn to allegations and charge sheet circulating on social media suggesting Dr. Bisi Onasanya’s involvement in a purported commercial loan controversy at First Bank 12 years ago,” Oshunuyi said.

    “While we have consistently chosen to ignore such baseless attacks for over ten years, the growing concern expressed by family, friends, and associates from across the globe compels us to address these unfounded claims.”

    “What is baffling is that a commercial transaction that occurred in 2013 and was thoroughly investigated eight years ago, during which Dr. Onasanya established his innocence and non-involvement, has now resurfaced in 2025 as a criminal prosecution. This is beyond comprehension.

    “It appears to be a hatchet job by unscrupulous individuals seeking to manipulate public perception,” he said. “We strongly appeal to the media to act responsibly and verify the information they publish. Dr. Onasanya has endured years of baseless attacks since his voluntary exit from the banking industry, but this recent development is particularly alarming.”

    Recall that a Federal High Court in Lagos fixed Jan. 20, for arraignment of Onasanya and chairman of the Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko over alleged N12.3 billion fraud.

  • Auditor-General’s annual report: Nigeria’s biggest joke on fraud – By Ikeddy Isiguzo

    Auditor-General’s annual report: Nigeria’s biggest joke on fraud – By Ikeddy Isiguzo

    By Ikeddy ISIGUZO

    IT would be a fraud to call the annual report that the Auditor-General of the Federation submits to the National Assembly a fraud – it is by far something worse. The truth is that the report is rooted in long established practice of doing nothing about fraud because as a Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of the Senate once said, “these are mere allegations and need to be proved”.

    “The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, OauGF, in Nigeria audits the accounts of the federal government, including ministries, departments, and agencies. The OAuGF’s role is to ensure that public funds are used appropriately and for their intended purposes,” Nigeria’s Constitution states through Sections 82, 85, 86.

    It lists its responsibilities as it:

    Audits the accounts of all Federal Government offices and courts

    Audits the accounts of all accounting officers and revenue receivers

    Audits the accounts of statutory corporations, commissions, and authorities

    Audits the accounts of Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory

    Audits the Federation Account, including loans, investments, and public debts

    Audits the accounts of the Accountant-General of the Federation

    Audits the accounts of Non-Self-Accounting Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs

    Audits the accounts of Federal Pay Offices, FPOs

    Submits a report to the National Assembly on the audit findings

    “The OAuGF’s role is to ensure that public funds are used appropriately and for their intended purposes. The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation is a separate and independent entity whose existence, powers, duties and responsibilities are in the Constitution,” says the law.

    Nobody has an interest in disrupting the waste of government funds on anything that catches the fancy of those who are entrusted with public funds. They, in most cases, seem to be in a competition over who would fritter away more public resources with immunity and impunity.

    At no point is a reasonable effort made to investigate, prosecute the suspects, and recover missing public funds. Everything, especially the law, is on the side of the suspects.

    By law, the audit report should be submitted to the National Assembly, two years after the period being audited. An example would be that the audit report for 2019, should be at the National Assembly latest by December 2021. Why should such long time be permitted?

    Most times, in two years those the audit queried have ceased to be in office or assumed some immunity from prosecution. They usually make enough to keep the arms of the law, no matter how long they are, from reaching them.

    The time between submitting the audit, passing it to the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly are long enough for everyone to forget. There are too many interests in a country as dynamic as ours.

    A golden rule with managing public finances is not to set dangerous precedents. Not calling those who committed these infractions to account has set the needed environment to embolden their successors to do more – dip their fingers deeper into public funds.

    Things get worse. If the law says that the audits should be submitted in two years, are they still legal when submitted outside the two-year time frame?

    As things got better for the alleged fraudsters, the Office the Auditor-General of the Federation (and in the States) seems to work for fraudsters.

    The submission date for the audit reports has moved to almost four years. The report that the National Assembly is “over-sighting” is for 2021! If we maintain the pace, the audit report for 2025 may be ready by 2037. Is that not progress?

    Uncovered financial infractions worth over N3.403 trillion in government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, are in the audit report for the financial year ending 31 December 2021 in 28 audits.

    · About N2.902 trillion was from the failure of eight government agencies to recover outstanding government revenue. Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc did not recover N2.896 trillion of the amount

    · N7.386 billion were the irregularities in the award of contracts by 32 MDAs. Rural Electrification Agency, Abuja, posted the highest infraction of N2.118 billi0n

    · Irregular payment of N115.675 billion by 64 MDAs. Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc., Abuja, had the highest infraction with N96.2 billion

    · 31 MDAs awarded contracts of N167.592 billion that were not executed. Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading accounted for N100 billion

    · 21 MDAs did not deduct N2.636 billion as tax from payments to several beneficiaries

    · 11 MDAs failed to remit N11.561 billion of tax deducted from taxpayers to relevant authorities. Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Plc recorded the highest sum of N10.393 billion

    · 40 MDAs paid out N8.312 billion without support documents. Presidential Amnesty Programme led with N1.529 billion

    · 8 MDAs misapplied the sum of N663,854,877.01; University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, was champion with N253,532,050.49

    · 24 MDAs awarded contract worth N20.334 billion without following due process. The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Plc awarded the bulk of those contracts valued at N14.136 billion.

    · Federal Inland Revenue Service did not recover about N69.928 billion as tax liabilities from 26 of its outstation offices

    · Items valued at N968.908 billion were taken from the store without ledger charge by 29 MDAs and the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Lagos, alone, accounted for N125 billion of the items

    · 15 MDAs made extra-budgetary expenditures of N15.786 billion. National Agricultural Land Development Authority received N8.86 billion of the amount

    · 6 MDAs which carried out virement of about N2.63 billion without approval. Rural Electrification Agency spent N1 .9 billion of the money.

    · 19 MDAs did not account for N122.5 billion. Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc was responsible for N111.601 billion of it.

    · 29 MDAs did not remit about N6.602 billion generated internally. National Pension Commission, withheld the highest amount of N4,429,550,386.58

    · 35 MDAs circumvented the procurement process leading to the loss of N1,948,132,710.98

    · 9 MDAs paid external solicitors, engaged without the Attorney-General’s fiat, about N243,932,964.27. The Bureau of Public Procurement had the highest infraction of N112,261,659.

    · 5 MDAs paid some unspecified third parties about N439,688,368.76 without the Attorney-General’s approval

    · 5 MDAs awarded contracts valued at N2.407 billion above their approval threshold. Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, incurred the highest amount of N1,065,614,232.70

    · Staff and unauthorised persons from five MDAs illegally held on to government vehicles valued at N747,749,365.06. The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Plc, Abuja, had the highest amount of N413,343,623.00.

    · 11 MDAs denied the Auditor-General access to documents with expenditure amounting to N21,480,891,930.77

    · 30 MDAs had unretired cash advances amounting to N1,300,643,209.41 and payment without vouchers amounting to N1,135,025,464.67. The Federal Ministry of Works (Housing Sector) excelled with the highest amount of N1,076,662,242.61.

    These are only a “few of the infractions” as every MDA, and Ministry was involved. The only difference was the amounts involved. The annual ritual of presenting the belated audited accounts makes no sense.

    No powers are available to the Auditor-General of the Federation or anyone for that matter to ensure suspects account for the infractions. Whatever the Office of the Auditor-General of was meant to achieve is coming to nought before our eyes and to the delight of those whose greed the report only highlights.

    If these billions were stolen, mismanaged at a time the value of the Naira was “high” against the Dollar, what should we expect when the audits for the following years are public?

    The only purpose the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation currently serves is to publicise corruption and join the rest of us in complaining about it.

    ISIGUZO is a major commentator on minor issues

  • Police arrest 2 suspects for defrauding Canada-based Nigerian

    Police arrest 2 suspects for defrauding Canada-based Nigerian

    The Police Command in Rivers has apprehended two male suspects accused of defrauding a Canada-based Nigerian woman, Sandra Austin, of N140m through an elaborate social media scam.

    SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the command’s spokesperson, disclosed the details of the case to journalists in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

    She revealed that the suspects manipulated Austin after she accepted a Facebook friend request from an account bearing the name ‘Engineer Desmond Chibuike Okechukwu.’

    Iringe-Koko recounted how the victim, initially hesitant, eventually accepted the friend request in February 2022.

    “The individual behind the account claimed to be a construction engineer with an impressive portfolio of luxurious homes allegedly built for clients.

    “The fraudster shared images of high-end properties in Ajah, Lagos, which he claimed to have constructed.

    “Sandra expressed interest in one of the properties, and the scammer told her it would cost N150 million to purchase land and complete the development,” she said.

    Believing the fraudster’s claims, Austin began transferring funds to the bank account provided by him.

    “By February 2024, she had sent a total of N110m, and later transferred the final payment of N30m.

    “Shortly after receiving the last instalment, the scammer blocked all communication channels with her,” Iringe-Koko added.

    The police image maker revealed that the incident left Austin traumatised, and unable to contact the fraudster, she developed hypertension and was hospitalised for a prolonged period.

    She further said that the scammer later added to her distress by threatening to kill her family members if she reported the matter to the authorities.

    Once she recovered, Iringe-Koko said that Austin contacted her family in Nigeria, who reported the case to the police.

    “Following the report, police operatives launched an investigation using intelligence-led techniques to apprehend 29-year-old Michael Onyedikachi, a native of Nkanu West, Enugu, at about 7:00 p.m. on August 24.

    “Onyedikachi was found living in a three-bedroom bungalow in Ama-Okponike, Enugu, financed by his fraudulent activities.

    “The suspect confessed to operating the Facebook account and sending images of houses to deceive the victim into believing progress was being made on her property,” she said.

    Iringe-Koko said during the raid that officers discovered a shrine in his apartment, believed to have been used for ritual purposes.

    She said that Onyedikachi also confessed to having spent eight months in Accra, Ghana, to learn online fraud techniques.

    The police spokesperson said that Onyedikachi mentioned a 29-year-old accomplice, Akachukwu Benedict, from Ngo-Okpala Local Government Area of Imo.

    “Officers later arrested Benedict in a luxurious hotel in Enugu, where he had booked a suite for an entire year.

    “Benedict admitted to introducing Onyedikachi to online fraud in 2022 and confessed to scamming an American woman named Molissa of 600 US dollars in 2021,” Iringe-Koko said.

    She said the suspects revealed in their statements that they acquired cloned SIM cards through a dealer, who remains at large.

    She disclosed that payments from their victims were received via cryptocurrency wallets to evade detection by security agencies.

    “Investigations revealed that the suspects relied heavily on social engineering and fake personas to manipulate their victims,” Iringe-Koko explained.

    Items recovered from the suspects include a Toyota Corolla vehicle, land documents, laptop computers and mobile phones.

    Iringe-Koko stated that the investigation was still in progress and assured that the suspects would face prosecution upon its conclusion.

    She advised the public to exercise caution when interacting with unknown individuals online and report suspicious activity to law enforcement authorities.

  • Nigerians cautioned against fake festive giveaways

    Nigerians cautioned against fake festive giveaways

    The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has cautioned Nigerians against fake festive offers and giveaways this yuletide.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports NITDA on Friday cautioned Nigerians that cybercriminals often exploit the spirit of celebration with enticing scams.

    The federal government agency cautioned Nigerians to be wary of offers that are too good to
    be true and that they should always confirm such offers directly through the company’s official website or customer service.

    “As the festive season approaches, cybercriminals often exploit the spirit of celebration with enticing scams. Scammers often disguise as legitimate companies and send fake messages promising cash rewards or giveaways.

    “These messages might claim that you’ve been “chosen” to receive money and ask you to click on a link or provide personal details. Under the pretence of generosity during the festive season, these scams aim to trick victims into revealing personal information, downloading malicious software, or sending money,” NITDA stated.

    TNG reports the NITDA advised Nigerians not to click on suspicious links and never share private information such as PINs, account details and passwords with anyone.

    Rather, the agency advised fraudulent messages be deleted immediately and for Nigerians to report scams to the relevant authorities, and also inform friends and family to spread awareness.

  • How bank customers are tricked to reveal PINs at ATMs

    How bank customers are tricked to reveal PINs at ATMs

    The Police Command in Yobe State has disclosed how fraudsters use clever tactics to trick unsuspecting bank customers into revealing their personal identification numbers (PINs) while using Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Yobe Police Command Spokesman, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim made the disclosure in a statement in Damaturu on Saturday while announcing the detention of three men for allegedly defrauding six ATM users in the State.

    According to DSP Abdulkarim, the syndicate was arrested by operatives of the State Intelligent Department (SIB) on December 6 after they defrauded a visibly impaired man of N181, 550.

    He said that the six victims allegedly identified the suspects who fraudulently swapped their ATM cards for other cards, and withdrew cash from their bank accounts.

    “The suspects, who confessed to their crimes, used a clever tactic to trick unsuspecting customers into revealing their PIN numbers while using ATMs. They would offer to assist the customers, then swap their ATM cards for other cards and withdraw cash from their accounts,” Abdulkarim said.

    The spokesman said 47 ATM cards, four cell phones, and a Mercedes Benz car were recovered from the suspects. He said the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Garba Ahmed, had directed detectives to intensify investigation into the crime, calling on the general public to assist the police with credible information.

    Abdulkarim also advised the general public to always watch out for suspected individuals whenever they used an ATM and ensure that the machine was in a safe location.

    “Use your free hand or a piece of paper to cover the keypad when entering your PIN to prevent others from seeing your PIN. Hold onto your card at all times, and never let someone else handle it for you.

    “Regularly check your account statements to detect any suspicious transactions and If an ATM looks like it has been tampered with, do not use it.

    “Chip-enabled cards are more secure than traditional magnetic stripe cards. Never share your PIN with anyone, and avoid using easily guessable PINs,” he said.

  • EFCC arraigns Chinese for alleged bribery, N301m fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  on Thursday brought a Chinese, Zhengjia Jin,  before an Ikeja Special Offences Court, for alleged bribery and N301 million fraud.

    Jin, was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on retention of stolen property, bribery and stealing.

    The EFCC counsel, Mr Ahmad Usman, told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the offences between March 5 and Aug. 9 in Lagos.

    He alleged that the defendant dishonestly retained an aggregate sum of N301 million  in his account number- 1861390260 domiciled in Access Bank, which belonged to Golden Diamond Industrial Manufacturing Company Ltd.

    The prosecutor submitted that the defendant, while working at the company, accepted directly into his bank account the said money as kickbacks from vendors, thereby conferring undue advantage for himself.

    The prosecutor said that the defendant’s action was contrary to the company’s employee condition of service. The anti-graft agency also stated that the defendant dishonestly converted  N301 million to his personal use.

    According to EFCC, the offences contravene Sections 83, 328, Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 and Section 280 (2) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Defence Counsel, Mr A.C. Ezenduka informed the court of a bail application. Counsel to EFCC, however, told the court that the prosecution had not been served.

    Justice Rahman Oshodi, remanded the defendant at Ikoyi Custodial Centre, pending hearing of his bail application. Oshodi adjourned the case until Nov. 22 for hearing of bail application.

  • See how fraudsters swept N43bn from Nigerian banks in 91 days

    See how fraudsters swept N43bn from Nigerian banks in 91 days

    The Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) has revealed that a whopping N42.6 billion was lost to frauds within the second quarter, (April -June) of 2024.

    The FITC, in its Q2 2024 Fraud and Forgeries report just released, noted that the development is worrisome.

    With the staggering increase in losses to fraud, the Centre advised the banks to enhance their monitoring and auditing procedures.

    According to the FITC, deposit money institutions can utilize AI-driven tools that flag unusual entries or patterns to implement continuous and automated monitoring systems that can detect anomalies or discrepancies in settlement files.

    Additionally, regular unannounced internal audits focusing specifically on settlement processes can be conducted to identify and address any irregularities promptly.

    With a total of about N9.4 billion loss for the whole of last year, the second quarter loss alone is a major leap, a development that analysts say the end of year figures might be mind bugling and worrisome.

    Also, the amount shows an embarrassing increase when compared with the N468.4 million lost in Q1 2024.

    N5.7 billion loss was recorded in Q2 of last year.

    Major channels for the perpetration of these crimes, according to FITC include, ‘miscellaneous and other fraud’ with the largest loss of N41.14 billion or 96.46% of the total amount lost.

    This was followed by losses from fraudulent withdrawals and computer/web fraud, amounting to approximately N781.2 million and N400.7 million, respectively.

    Some analysts last night blamed the ugly development, partly to the growing incidences of insider abuses, ocassioned by the overbearing influences of ‘owner chairmen’ as well as billionaire owners running the institutions through their proxies.

    Also, the rat-race for supremacy and meeting up of some regulatory requirements were identified as contributory factors.

    This is even as the analysts also blame the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for what they regard as ‘supervisory laxity’ ocassioned by what they also attribute to the apex bank’s preoccupation with mundane issues, outside its purview, particularly in recent times.

    “CBN is becoming overtly involved in the management of the economy and leaning more to government bidding than its price and exchange rate stability, among other core mandate. Concentrating more efforts to increasing FDIs, attainment of the proposed $1 trillion economy, may not be the best options as similar efforts and energy should be directed at periodic examinations,” says an analyst.

    Specifically, the FITC report noted that the total amount involved in fraud cases in Q1 escalated from N2.9 billion to approximately N56.3 billion in Q2 of this year.

    The report also revealed that during the second quarter under review,fraudulent activities were carried out through various channels, including ATMs, online platforms like web and mobile banking, bank branches, and point-of-sale (POS) terminals.
    Among instruments used, card fraud recorded a significant decrease, declining by 47.66%. from 21,469 in Q1 to 11,237 in Q2.
    In contrast, fraudulent activity involving cheques and cash increased by 36.67% and 9.09%, respectively, with cheques surging from 30 cases in Q1 to 41 cases in Q2, while the use of cash rose from 209 in the first quarter of 2024 to 228 in the second quarter of 2024.

    Further analysis of the data shows a significant rise in the amount lost across all channels, except for mobile fraud, which recorded a decline.

    In terms of magnitude, losses through bank branch-related channels rose by 31,497%, to a value of N42.2 billion in Q2 from N133.9 million in Q1 2024.

    Additionally, computer/web frauds also saw a monumental increase of 1,560%, with losses growing from N24 million to N400.8 million.
    However, there was no indication of the amount lost due to ATM-related fraud.

    Further advising the financial institutions on ways to curb the menace, FITC said,

    “Access controls should also be strengthened by limiting access to settlement files to only a small, vetted group of authorized personnel given the appropriate clearance and are regularly trained on the latest security protocols.

    “The implementation of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access controls (RBAC) can aid the reduction of the risk of unauthorized changes to settlement files.”

     

     

     

  • N100 million fraud: EFCC arraigns fake NNPC Director

    N100 million fraud: EFCC arraigns fake NNPC Director

    The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Ibrahim Nuhu Shuaibu before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna State for fraud.

    Shuaibu is being prosecuted on a seven-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N100 million.

    Count one of his charge reads: “That you, Nuhu Ibrahim Shuaibu (a.k.a Ishaku Abdulrazak) (M) and lIya Garba (now deceased) sometime in 2017 in Kaduna within the judicial division of this honorable court did conspire between yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit: obtaining money under false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

    Another reads: “That you, Nuhu Ibrahim Shuaibu (a.k.a Ishaku Abdulrazak)(M) sometime in 2018 at Kaduna within the judicial division of this honorable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the total sum of N47,050,000.00(Forty Seven Million and Fifty Thousand Naira) from one Faisal Safiyanu, when you claimed to supply him petroleum products, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

    He pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to him, prompting the prosecution counsel, M. Lawal to urge the court to fix a trial date. His counsel, AbdulKareem Audu failed to file a bail application.

    Justice Khobo afterwards ordered the defendant to be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.

    Shuaibu’s journey to prosecution started  sometime in 2017 when he presented himself to his victim as NNPCL’s  Group Executive Director and promised to assist him procure over 2000 litres of petroleum products for which the victim transferred the agreed cost to his bank accounts in tranches. Shuaibu failed to fulfil his own part of the bargain after receiving payment and failed to refund his victim his money.

  • Police recover N3.9bn from suspects after defrauding Interswitch

    Police recover N3.9bn from suspects after defrauding Interswitch

    Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre has arrested at least 16 suspects for financial fraud against a leading African digital commerce platform, Interswitch Limited.

    The sum of N3.9bn cash and properties had so far been recovered from the suspects, with efforts ongoing to recover more.

    Reading out the achievements of the police at the Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee joint press briefing in Abuja on Monday, the Department of State Services’ spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, said the centre made the arrest and recovery following a petition from Interswitch Limited regarding a glitch on its financial portal.

    He added that eight of the suspects had been convicted

    Afunanya said, “ The Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre tackled a massive financial fraud case, acting on a petition from Interswitch Limited regarding a glitch on its financial portal.

    “The swift response led to the arrest of over 16 suspects, eight of whom have been convicted. The operation recovered over N3.9bn in cash, properties, and vehicles, with ongoing efforts to recover additional looted funds.”

    Afunanya also said the police in Taraba arrested a notorious kidnapper and recovered arms and ammunition from him.

    He said, “In a parallel operation, the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad of Taraba State command arrested a notorious kidnapper, seizing three AK-47 rifles, four magazines, 19 rounds of live ammunition, 23 expended rounds, and five solar panels from his premises.”

    He added that the police foiled a kidnap attempt and killed nine kidnappers.

    Afunanya said, “Similarly, on July 4, 2024, the Lagos State Command operatives thwarted an attack by a notorious kidnapping gang. In a fierce gun battle, nine kidnappers were neutralised, and significant weaponry, including four AK-47 rifles, four locally-made semi-automatic pistols, nine AK-47 magazines, three walkie-talkies, a PoS machine, a loudspeaker, and two operational vehicles were recovered. Investigations continue to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

    “In another notable case, on April 24, 2024, 18-year-old Mallam Adamu Adamu was rescued from captivity in Kasda, Jakusko LGA, Yobe State.”

    Police operatives raided the gang’s enclave, arresting three suspects and recovering two AK-47 rifles and a magazine with 26 rounds of live ammunition. The suspects will be charged to court following the investigation’s conclusion.”