Metro

Man Impersonates CP, Defrauds Octogenarian N250m

Published

3 years ago

January 11, 2023

The Criminal Investigation Department, Lagos State Police Command has arrested 55 year-old Oluwole Akande for impersonating the Police Commissioner of Railway Command, Yetunde Longe, and defrauding an 80-year-old man of N250 million.

Longe confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Lagos.

Longe said that she got a call from a former force spokesperson, CP Frank Mba, on the matter.

She said the victim’s wife called Mba to intimate him of alleged plan by one CP Longe to demand for millions of naira from her husband, so as to drop a petition on her table against him.

“CP Frank Mba replied the wife of the victim that he knows CP Yetunde Longe cannot make such mischievous demand. He promised to call her and verify and get back to the woman.

“CP Frank Mba called me to relate the matter and I confirmed that the information was totally wrong. I said there was no petition of such before me and I don’t even know the victim.

“It was at this time the State CID Panti was informed to trace the suspect and he was apprehended. He confessed to have impersonated me,” Longe said.

The commissioner said he will be charged to court soon.

Speaking with NAN, Akande, who claimed to live at Ojokoro area of Lagos, said he started the business of impersonation in 2022, stressing that CP Longe was the only person he had used.

Akande said after he discovered his victim, he decided to frame him up on issue he knew nothing about by calling to inform him of a petition concerning an illegal business the victim was involved in.

He claimed that the victim would not take him serious except he impersonated a high ranking police officer, which led to using CP Yetunde Longe’s name.

The suspect said he never knew CP Longe before, stressing that he got her name and rank through the media after she was decorated in Abuja with her husband same day as Commissioner of Police.

Akande claimed he called the victim and assured him that if he was willing to pay N1.5 million, he would drop the case, which the victim promised to pay.

He claimed he was the only person involved in the crime, stressing that he knew the impersonation would dent the image of CP Yetunde Longe, but that he never knew it would backfire.

“I just wanted to obtain the victim. I thought if I give the man stories, he will fall for them and just pay me and I will escape.

“I sent several messages to him. I used two sim cards to carry out the crime,” he said.

Further investigations by NAN into the case revealed that after the N1.5 million was paid, the suspect through other means allegedly collected more money from the victim amounting to N250 million.

NAN also gathered that the victim reportedly sold two of his houses and filling station to meet the demands of the suspect until his wife contacted CP Frank Mba, which led to his arrest.
NAN

Metro

Sowore Arraigned Over Alleged Cybercrime

Published

13 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday arraigned politician and online publisher Omoyele Sowore before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged cybercrime offences.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate, faced a five-count charge accusing him of defaming President Bola Tinubu by calling him a criminal in posts on X and Facebook. The DSS claims that his actions violate the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, as well as the Criminal Code Act.

At the hearing, Justice Mohammed Umar granted Sowore bail on self-recognition. However, the court imposed strict conditions, barring him from making any statements capable of inciting the public or undermining national security. The judge warned that any violation of these conditions would lead to immediate revocation of his bail.

Justice Umar noted that Sowore, who previously contested for the presidency, was already under bail conditions with his international passport held by the court. He said these factors justified granting him bail without a monetary surety.

The arraignment on Tuesday came after two earlier attempts were unsuccessful. DSS counsel, Akinolu Kehinde (SAN), attributed the delays to legal obstacles introduced by Sowore’s defence team.

Sowore pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, also filed a fresh bail application during the proceedings, which the court considered before ruling.

Two other defendants — X Inc. (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Inc. — are listed in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025. The DSS claims that these companies aided Sowore in publishing the posts allegedly containing defamatory statements against the president.

The case is the latest in a series of legal battles involving Sowore, who has in the past faced arrests and charges over his activism and online publications.

The Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, under which Sowore was charged, criminalises the online publication of false statements that can harm individuals or public institutions. The law also empowers the government to hold social media companies accountable if they facilitate the spread of such content.

Sowore’s arraignment has drawn reactions on social media, with supporters describing the charges as politically motivated, while others argue that public figures must exercise caution in their statements online.

Metro

Alleged Cybercrime: Court Grants Sowore Bail

Published

14 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Abuja Federal High Court, on Tuesday, granted former presidential candidate and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, bail on self-recognition, cautioning him to refrain from making any utterances that could incite the public against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Sowore’s bail followed his arraignment by the Department of State Services (DSS) before the court on a five-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime.

In the five-count charge, Sowore is accused of allegedly making derogatory remarks about President Tinubu on his social media handles.

Sowore, who is the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, pleaded not guilty to the charges after they were read to him.

Earlier in the proceedings, his counsel, Marshall Abubakar, had raised a motion challenging the competence of the suit, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction.

The prosecution objected, stating they had only just been served with the processes and needed time to respond.

In a short ruling, Justice Umar held that the objection on jurisdiction was not ready for hearing because the prosecution was served that morning, adding that the defendant needed to give them adequate time to file a counter-affidavit.

He then directed that the charges be read to the defendant.

When the charge was read, Sowore pleaded not guilty; his counsel applied for bail on self-recognition. The prosecution, however, opposed the application, arguing that Sowore posed a flight risk.

Justice Umar, in ruling on the bail request, granted Sowore bail on self-recognition and adjourned the matter to January 19, 2026, for trial.

Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2019, was accused of contravening the provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Criminal Code Act by calling President Bola Tinubu a criminal

The two other defendants listed in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, are X Incorp (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Incorp.

Metro

Delta: Suspected Kidnapper Killed In Gun Battle With Police

Published

20 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

A suspected kidnapper has been killed during a gun battle with operatives of the Delta State Police Command in collaboration with Community Volunteers in Obiaruku Forest.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer,SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday.

“Operatives of the Command State Anti-Cult Unit (SACU), in collaboration with community volunteers, were on intensive patrol when they received credible intelligence that suspected kidnappers were mobilising within the Obiaruku forest to carry out an attack.

“Acting swiftly on the information, the operatives advanced towards the location to forestall the planned criminal activity,” the statement said.

According to Edafe, on approaching the area, the suspects opened fire from multiple directions in a bid to repel the team.

“The operatives responded with superior firepower, leading to the death of one suspect, while others escaped into the forest with various degrees of injuries.

“One AK-47 rifle with forty-two rounds of live ammunition, nine mobile phones, and charms were recovered,” the statement added.