Metro

How Businesswoman Lost N2m To Investment Scam

Published

3 years ago

December 6, 2022

A businesswoman, Omotola Oyewole, has told an Ogba Magistrate’s Court how she lost the sum of N2m to an investment scam.

Oyewole spoke on Monday while giving evidence in the trial of a defendant, Abayomi Owolabi, before Magistrate L.A. Owolabi.

It was gathered that the complainant and Abayomi were friends before the incident happened in June 2022.

Oyewole said, “He (Abayomi) said he was an investment banker with Multibank Group. I would hear him have conversations on phone with people that he would give them their returns. Sometimes, he would also try to convince others to invest. He would tell me to invest also but I was hesitant at first. But whenever I was with him, he would receive calls and talk about the investment. That was what made me trust him.

“I later transferred to him a total sum of N2m. At first, I gave him some on June 6, 2022, and the second time was on June 9. He said he would pay dividends on the 5th of every month, starting from the following month. On June 30, I spoke with him about the dividends and he said I shouldn’t worry. But he ignored me since then and stopped talking to me and even picking up my calls.”

The woman said the defendant eventually picked up his call on July 4 and told her that she might not receive any returns on the investment.

“When he finally picked on July 4, he told me to check the MoU that I might not get any ROI. I told him that I should get the N2m I invested if I couldn’t get any dividends. I wanted my money but he told me I would get my principal after 30 working days.

“I went to a police station when I saw that he wasn’t forthcoming. They invited him and when he got there, he was talking with so much pride. They asked me what I wanted and I said he should write an undertaking on when he would pay me. He wrote an undertaking to pay back on August 26, but he didn’t pay. I went back to the station but I felt that I wouldn’t get justice in that station. So, I went to the state police command and they invited him,” she added.

In his defence, Abayomi told the court that he also lost his money to the scheme, adding that he had paid the sum of N1,050,000 since the invitation by the police.

Magistrate Owolabi adjourned the matter till December 6 for a report of settlement.

Metro

Hotel Under Construction Collapses In Edo Kills Owner

Published

37 minutes ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Tragedy struck in the Idumoza community, Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State, as a hotel building under construction caved in, killing its owner, identified as Andrew Isesere.

The incident occurred last Friday while Isesere was reportedly inside the building.

Over 20 workers who were also at the site narrowly escaped death, according to eyewitnesses.

The lifeless body of the owner was recovered from the debris on Sunday morning.

Neighbours in the area expressed concern over the quality of materials used in the construction, noting that warnings had previously been issued to the deceased.

Andrew Inegbebor, a resident who spoke to reporters, said, “The owner was told he was using low quality material. He used 12mm instead of 16mm rods for the pillars. There was no base basket at the pillars. Look at the result.”

“The building collapsed because of substandard materials that were used. There was no engineer on site. The dead owner supervised the house. The house later collapsed and killed him , but some workers escaped,” he added.

At the time of filing this report, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, said that he had not received a briefing on the incident.

Metro

Police Arrest Stolen Phone Tracker-altering Gang In Imo

Published

19 hours ago

August 2, 2025

Editor

The Imo State Police Command has dismantled a cult gang that specialised in phone theft, burglary, and altering the tracking device of phones in Eziobodo, in the Owerri West Local Government Area.

This is even as the Command has arrested several people linked to various phone robberies within the Owerri federal constituency.

Police spokesperson for Imo State command, DSP Henry Okoye, made the disclosure on Saturday morning.

Okoye disclosed that following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop was burgled on July 11th, 2025, within Eziobodo, operatives of the Anti-Vice commenced an investigation that led to the arrest of a suspect with four brand new but stolen phones.

Intense investigation led the Police to the principal burglar behind the robbery and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI, which blocks the tracking of such phones.

Okoye said, “Following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop in Eziobodo was burgled on 11th July 2025, operatives of the Anti-Vice Unit arrested a suspect in possession of four brand-new stolen phones. Investigations led to the arrest of the principal burglar and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI numbers to evade tracking”.

He disclosed that all the suspects arrested are currently in custody, while efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the syndicate.

Okoye said in another development, operatives of the Orji Police Station on July 31st, 2025, at about 9pm (2100hrs) arrested one Ernest Nweke ‘m’ at Bishop’s Court roundabout, in the Owerri North LGA, following a distress call from concerned citizens.

The suspect, who is a native of Umuoji in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State but resident in the World Bank area of Owerri, was arrested with a locally fabricated pistol after he and three others allegedly robbed one Emmanuel FearGod ‘m’ of Fountain of Knowledge Hostel.

Okoye said, “Nweke, who confessed to being a member of the Vikings cult group, was identified by the victim and arrested while the others fled. Based on his confession, four other suspects: Chamberlain Prince, Akujuobi Godwin, Ugwuelu Joseph, and Frederick Chigozie were arrested the next morning and also confessed to the crime. All suspects are currently undergoing investigation and will be duly prosecuted in court”.

Meanwhile, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has commended the officers for their swift action and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to fight crime.

The Police boss urged residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest Police Station or through 0803 477 3600.

Metro

Police Arrest Fleeing Anambra Suspected Kidnapper In Kaduna

Published

20 hours ago

August 2, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, John Chinagorom, who is said to have been on the Command’s wanted list.

A statement released on Saturday by the Anambra State Police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspect was arrested in Zaria, Kaduna State, with the assistance of the Kaduna State Police Command.

Ikenga said his arrest followed a credible intelligence received by operatives of the Ozubulu Police Division on August 1, that the suspect, who is linked to a kidnapping case in Anambra, was sighted at PZ Park Road, Zaria, Kaduna State.

The statement read in part, “The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public that its officers, with the assistance of the Kaduna State Police Command, have arrested John Chinagorom ‘M’, a suspected kidnapper, who has been on the Command’s wanted list.

“This follows a credible intelligence received by operatives of the Ozubulu Police Division at noon of 1st August 2025, that the suspect, John Chinagorom, who is linked to a kidnapping Case reported on 15th April 2025, was sighted at PZ Park Road, Zaria, Kaduna State.

“Acting swiftly on the information, a team of Police detectives from the Division was dispatched, and they successfully apprehended the suspect at his hideout in Zaria, with the assistance of officers of the Kaduna State Police Command.

“The suspect is currently in custody and is assisting the Police in the ongoing investigation.”

He urged the general public to remain calm, assuring them that the security situation in the state is under control as joint security patrols and other crime prevention operations are ongoing.

“Meanwhile, the general security situation across other parts of the State remains calm, as counter-terrorism and other crime prevention operations continue.

“Further developments will be communicated in due course,” he added.