Metro

53-year-old Father Of Seven Stabbed To Death In Lagos

Published

2 years ago

May 3, 2023

Editor

A 53-year-old Olalekan Okeowo has been stabbed to death in an uncompleted building at Salvation Estate in the Owode community, Ajah area of Lagos State.

The deceased left behind seven children, including a seven-month-old set of twins.

The PUNCH reports that the incident occurred around 1am on Sunday when the victim was asleep.

It was learnt that Okeowo, who engaged in menial jobs, returned home on Saturday night, had his meal and went to bed.

Tragedy, however, struck when a yet-to-be-identified assailant made his way into the building at midnight and stabbed him to death.

The deceased’s wife, Titilayo, who is nursing seven-month-old twins, said she heard her husband begging for his life when she woke up.

She said: “We moved into the uncompleted building about 15 years ago and we covered one of the rooms where we sleep in the night but my husband does not sleep in the same room with us. He used to sleep in the other room which is more like a sitting room where he placed a bed with a mosquito net. He was outside on Saturday evening and he came in around 11pm.

“When I stepped out of the room to check on him, I saw him eating. He later went to bed after his meal. We were asleep when I heard his voice saying, ‘Please don’t kill me.’ That was how I quickly rushed out of the room.

“My first son who got to the room before me said he saw the shadow of someone exiting the entrance of the building. But when I saw my husband, he was already in a pool of blood. I quickly reached out to two young men who live close to our building to assist me. They also called someone who helped us with his car.”

Titilayo said her late husband was rejected in the first hospital they took him to before he was later taken to the Lagos Island General Hospital.

“When we got there, workers on duty said there was no bed space. At that point, my husband was telling us not to allow him to die. It was later that they provided a bed and started to treat him. It was around 3am that he died,” she said.

Forty-one-year-old Titilayo said her husband was preparing to secure another apartment before the incident happened.

According to her, the owner of the building had called to inform them that he was ready to sell the property.

She said, “On Thursday, April 27, the agent in charge of the building sent someone to inform him about the owner’s decision. He said my husband was given two weeks to leave. On the third day, the owner of the house called my husband and told him his intention and asked him to secure another apartment.

“But he told the man that he needed some money before vacating the place. The man asked him to send his account number so that he can send the money to him. He was expecting the money when the incident happened. Now that my husband is dead, I don’t know how I am going to take care of our seven children.”

The corpse of the deceased had since been deposited in the mortuary while the premises of the building were besieged by sympathisers on Monday.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.

“He was killed in front of his house. An investigation is ongoing at the SCID,” he said.

Metro

Police Bust Child Trafficking Syndicate In Rivers, Rescue Babies

Published

10 hours ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

The Rivers State Police Command said its operatives have busted a child trafficking syndicate that manipulates young mothers and vulnerable pregnant women, steals their babies, and sells them to waiting buyers.

The police said the four-member syndicate is led by an ex-convict identified as Blessing Jack, who had previously been arrested, tried, and imprisoned in Calabar, Cross River State, for a similar offence.

The spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday and sent to newsmen.

Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, said Blessing, aged 54, was arrested by men of the Command’s C4i Intelligence Unit on October 9 in Igwuruta, near Port Harcourt, following a discreet probe into the activities of the syndicate.

She said Blessing’s arrest led to the location of her other three female partners, who were consequently taken into custody.

The statement read, “The Rivers State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in its investigation into the activities of a child trafficking syndicate in the state, with the arrest of several suspects.

“The syndicate, allegedly led by one Blessing Jack, a 54-year-old female resident of Timber Road, Igwuruta, Port Harcourt, exploits vulnerable young mothers, stealing and selling their newborn babies for significant financial gains.

“On October 9, 2025, at about 1500hrs, operatives of the Command attached to the C4i Intelligence Unit, through technically aided policing, arrested Blessing Jack at Igwuruta in Port Harcourt.

“A conversation between Blessing Jack and one Marley Oburu ‘m’ revealed the syndicate’s modus operandi. She discussed a recent incident where her associate had taken a woman’s baby, claiming the baby had died, but had been paid the sum of ₦2,000,000 for the transaction.”

She continued, “The transaction suggested that Blessing and her associates use fake scans and manipulate vulnerable pregnant women to obtain their babies.

“Other suspects arrested include: Chinonso Raymond, a 30-year-old male of Igwuruta, Port Harcourt; Chinyere Okorie, a 32-year-old female of Pipeline, Rumuoholu, Port Harcourt; and Nkechi Nwankwo, a 50-year-old female of Pipeline, Rumuoholu, Port Harcourt.

“A preliminary investigation revealed that Blessing Jack had previously been imprisoned in Calabar for three years for child trafficking, highlighting her long-standing involvement in the illicit business.”

The state police image maker said all the suspects voluntarily confessed to the crime, detailing their individual roles.

“Suspects are currently in police custody, while an in-depth investigation has been launched to arrest other members of the syndicate and dismantle the network,” Iringe-Koko stated further.

The State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, commended the operatives for their diligence in investigating and apprehending the suspects, saying the Command will continue to work tirelessly to protect vulnerable individuals and combat human trafficking in the state.

CP Adepoju appealed to members of the public to report any information that may aid in the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases, saying, “Together, we can build a safer and more secure society for all.”

Rivers State Police Command, in September, said its operatives have arrested three suspected kidnappers who allegedly killed two of their victims after collecting a total ransom of N10.4m.

Earlier in August, the Command said its men busted an armed robbery/kidnapping syndicate terrorising residents of Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of the state, and its environs.

Metro

BREAKING: Lagos Re-arraigns Kidnapper Evans Over Police Officers’ Killing

Published

14 hours ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

Lagos State Government on Monday re-arraigned convicted billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans.

The Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja is hearing the case of the murder of two police officers by the billionaire kidnapper.

He and his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, were arraigned before Justice A. O. Ogala on a five-count charge bordering on murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

They both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Details later…

Metro

Lagos Demolishes 17 Houses For Encroaching On Waterways

Published

2 days ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

At least 17 houses have been demolished by the Lagos State Government for encroaching on the right-of-way (RoW) of the Ikota River alignment.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, led a monitoring and enforcement team, accompanied by journalists, to the site on Saturday.

Wahab cautioned residents against actions that threaten the environment, warning that nature inevitably retaliates against human negligence and unlawful reclamation of wetlands.

He disclosed that the ministry had received reports months earlier about illegal reclamation activities aimed at narrowing the river’s natural path.

“We stopped them then, but we were alerted again recently that the encroachment had resumed aggressively, with attempts to sell land to unsuspecting buyers,” Wahab said.

The commissioner said the government had now taken decisive action to halt the encroachment and clear all illegal structures along the alignment.

He added that those behind the unlawful activity would be identified and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Speaking on the perennial challenge of flooding, Wahab noted that while it is impossible to completely prevent flooding in a coastal state like Lagos, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, lagoons, and rivers, the government continues to invest in infrastructure to mitigate its impact.

“What we can do is reduce its effects through resilient infrastructure, which Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has consistently provided and maintained,” he said.

Despite ongoing efforts to desilt and maintain drainage systems daily, Wahab lamented that some individuals persist in obstructing waterways for personal gain.

He cited property number 156 as an example, saying it blocked the coastal road alignment and disrupted the natural flow of water.

“That property will be cleared to allow the Ikota channel to discharge freely into the Lagos Lagoon,” he added.

Wahab stressed that demolition was not always the state’s first option, as the government often explored corrective measures.

“Sometimes we ask developers to produce practical designs for stormwater discharge, but they must bear the cost, not taxpayers,” he said, describing it as irresponsible for the government to fix problems created by private developers who profit from violating environmental regulations.

During an inspection tour of the Lekki–Epe corridor, Wahab also decried the massive encroachment on wetlands originally designed to retain excess rainwater.

He said drone surveillance had exposed extensive damage to the wetland corridor, including the destruction of coconut trees planted for soil stability.

According to him, violators were issued demolition notices on 26 September, ahead of planned transport infrastructure works on the same route.

He explained that the inspection was intended to align environmental preservation with the Ministry of Transport’s Green Line Rail project.

Additionally, the Commissioner for Transport, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, stated that the Green Line Rail project, which will run from Marina to Epe, is anticipated to commence in December following stakeholder consultations and feasibility studies.

Osiyemi said some car dealers who were granted temporary approval to use power line spaces had violated terms by constructing permanent structures on wetlands.

“As a state, we must enforce compliance and protect the environment while advancing our transport development agenda,” Osiyemi said.

He added that the Green Line project, which is expected to last approximately three years, forms part of Lagos State’s integrated transport solution aimed at easing mobility across the metropolis.

Other areas visited during the inspection included Chevron Gate off Orchid Road, Partibon Homes, Oral Extension Phase 2, and Park View in Ikoyi.

(NAN)