Crime

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Badagry Area Command, have uncovered a suspected fake university operating from a three-bedroom apartment in Ilado, Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Lagos State. The operation also led to the rescue of 106 youths and the arrest of the alleged proprietor, who is accused of luring prospective students with promises of admission into a foreign university. According to the NSCDC, the raid was carried out in the early hours of Monday after several days of intelligence gathering and surveillance. The agency said the institution had no official name, registration, signboard or recognised campus but allegedly operated online as a distance-learning centre affiliated with a foreign university. Badagry Area Commander, Chief Superintendent Gbenga Ekunola, said the operation followed credible intelligence on the activities at the apartment. “We received reliable intelligence regarding the activities at the location. Our operatives kept the premises under surveillance for several days before carrying out the operation. The proprietor has been arrested and is assisting with our investigation, while the students have been placed under protective custody,” he said. Preliminary investigations showed that most of the rescued youths, aged between 19 and 24, were recruited from states including Kogi, Oyo and several northern states. Others reportedly travelled from neighbouring countries such as Niger, Cameroon and Togo after being recruited through online platforms. The corps alleged that victims paid admission and processing fees ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦1.5 million, while some foreign nationals reportedly paid between $400 and $500 after being promised admission into a foreign higher institution. Investigators also discovered that participants were allegedly required to recruit new students in exchange for commissions. According to the NSCDC, the recruitment model resembled a Ponzi or chain-marketing scheme, with earnings tied to the number of new recruits brought into the programme. One of the rescued individuals reportedly told investigators that after paying $400 to enrol, he convinced his brother in Kogi State to join the scheme and had already begun receiving referral commissions. The investigation further revealed that some participants were allegedly engaged in promoting unidentified products online while earning commissions from both product sales and recruitment. Expressing concern over the development, Ekunola said many parents were unaware of their children’s actual activities in Badagry. “We have begun contacting their families. One parent told us her child had informed the family that he travelled to Badagry to learn a trade, not to attend a university. That clearly shows many parents had no idea what was really going on,” he said. He added that all 106 rescued youths would be profiled before being reunited with their families after investigations are concluded. The NSCDC said anyone found culpable in operating the suspected illegal institution would be prosecuted in accordance with the law. It added that investigations have been expanded to identify other collaborators and determine whether similar operations exist in other parts of the country.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has uncovered 908 ghost workers across several federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), recovering about N942 million allegedly lost to payroll fraud. ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, disclosed that the discovery followed an investigation launched in 2024 after the commission detected irregularities in pension payments. According to Aliyu, the investigation uncovered widespread manipulation of government payroll systems, with fictitious names allegedly inserted to divert public funds. He alleged that some senior public officials enrolled relatives and associates on government payrolls and collected salaries meant for non-existent employees. The ICPC chairman cited one case in which a suspect allegedly placed his wife, son and mother-in-law on the payroll while also receiving the salaries of 12 other ghost workers. Aliyu said the investigation covered at least 50 federal MDAs, with the Nigeria Police Force recording the highest number of suspected ghost workers at 570. Other agencies affected include the National Water Resources Authority with 80 ghost workers, the Federal Ministry of Works with 56, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 24, and the Ministry of Defence with 19. He added that the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment each recorded 17 ghost workers, while the Federal Ministry of Health had 15, and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation recorded 12. Aliyu also disclosed that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Interior were implicated in the investigation, although the commission did not disclose the number of suspected ghost workers in those institutions as investigations are ongoing. The ICPC said efforts to recover additional funds and prosecute those responsible for the alleged payroll fraud are continuing.

There was widespread celebration in parts of northern Nigeria on Tuesday following the conviction and life imprisonment of two senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group, an Al-Qaeda-linked extremist organisation. The Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Abubakar Abba, also known as Abu Bara, and his co-defendant, Mahmud Usman, also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud, after they pleaded guilty to a 32-count terrorism charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government. Delivering judgment, Justice Emeka Nwite sentenced both men to life imprisonment on counts 30 and 31, while imposing 20-year prison terms on each of the remaining counts. The court ordered that the sentences on the other counts should run from the date of their arrest. The DSS arrested the suspects separately between May and July 2025. The charges against the convicts included terrorism, terrorism financing, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and coordinating sleeper cells and terrorist attacks. Prosecutors also linked them to terrorist networks operating across the Sahel-Maghreb region. Earlier in the proceedings, Usman had pleaded guilty to a separate one-count charge of illegal mining to finance terrorism and procure arms. He was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment on that charge. The judgment was welcomed by some Nigerians and civil society groups. The Concerned Nigerians (CN), led by Paul Orji, described the ruling as a positive step in the fight against terrorism. “It’s in the right direction to checkmate and eliminate terrorism in Nigeria. Nigerians are jubilating and celebrating the beginning of peace in the country,” Orji said.

A 67-year-old tenant, Pastor Bolaji Olukotun, has died following a disputed eviction from his residence at Admiralty Homes Estate, Lekki, Lagos, with his family and lawyer alleging he was assaulted during the incident. The incident reportedly occurred on July 11, while the pastor died in the early hours of the following Sunday after receiving treatment at a private hospital. According to his lawyer, Barrister Akpobome Deniran, the dispute stemmed from a rent-to-own agreement between the deceased and his landlord. He said Pastor Olukotun had rented the apartment with the understanding that he could purchase it at the end of his tenancy. However, after failing to meet the financial terms of the proposed sale, the landlord allegedly asked him to vacate the property so it could be sold to another buyer. Deniran said he received a distress call from his client around 2 p.m. on July 11, during which the pastor allegedly pleaded for help, saying he was dying. When he arrived at the residence, the lawyer said he found Pastor Olukotun lying on the ground while his furniture, clothing and personal belongings had been moved outside, suggesting he had been forcibly removed from the apartment. He alleged that estate agents, a prospective buyer, an armed mobile police officer and several suspected thugs were present during the incident. According to him, the pastor appeared to be in severe pain, vomiting and struggling to speak. Deniran further alleged that those present denied assaulting the victim, claiming instead that he had taken an unknown substance and was pretending to be in distress. He also accused the mobile police officer of threatening him when he attempted to document the scene. The lawyer maintained that no valid court order or warrant of execution was presented before the eviction, describing the action as unlawful. Due to heavy flooding in the estate, Pastor Olukotun was later transported to a hospital with the assistance of a water truck driver. Deniran said the victim continued complaining of severe abdominal pain before he later died despite receiving medical attention. The deceased’s son, Ayodeji Olukotun, also alleged that his father was forcefully removed from the property by estate agents, a police officer, suspected thugs and a man introduced as the new buyer. He questioned claims that his father voluntarily packed his belongings or consumed a substance before the incident, calling for a thorough police investigation. The family said they expected everyone present during the incident to be questioned and urged authorities to establish the circumstances surrounding the pastor’s death. Efforts to obtain comments from the landlord, Chikeluba Francis, were unsuccessful. However, the landlord’s solicitor, Caleb Onwe, denied that Pastor Olukotun was forcibly evicted or assaulted. He said officials visited the property with a police officer and a prospective buyer after the tenant had reportedly agreed to vacate. According to Onwe, they found the pastor already packing his belongings and in a weak condition. He claimed the deceased said he had taken an unknown substance before their arrival and insisted those present assisted in contacting his lawyer and arranging transportation to the hospital. The solicitor rejected allegations linking those at the property to the pastor’s death, saying such claims must be proven. Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command said it could not issue an official statement on the case, with Police Public Relations Officer Abimbola Adebisi stating that the complainant did not return after making the initial report. The circumstances surrounding Pastor Olukotun’s death remain contested. While his family and lawyer insist he died following an unlawful and forceful eviction, the landlord’s representatives maintain that no eviction or assault occurred and that he was already in poor condition before officials arrived.

Controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, were arrested on Saturday in Miami, Florida, as British authorities seek their extradition to face new charges, including rape, human trafficking and assault. The US Marshals Service confirmed the arrest of 39-year-old Andrew Tate and his younger brother but declined to disclose the specific charges, saying the arrest warrant remains sealed. US entertainment outlet TMZ published footage showing law enforcement officers placing the brothers in handcuffs before escorting them into waiting vehicles. In the video, Tristan Tate remained silent when asked by an onlooker if he had any comment. The UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed that the brothers were arrested by US marshals and said it would pursue their extradition to the United Kingdom. British authorities said the Tate brothers are facing a total of 59 charges, 42 against Andrew Tate and 17 against Tristan Tate. In a statement, the Head of the CPS Special Crime Division, Malcolm McHaffie, said prosecutors had authorised additional charges against the brothers. “We have decided to prosecute Andrew and Tristan Tate for further offences, including rape, arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation, and offences relating to indecent images of a child,” McHaffie said. He added that the latest charges followed the receipt of new evidence from Bedfordshire Police, increasing the number of alleged victims in the case to seven. Earlier this year, police in Hertfordshire, north of London, reopened an investigation into rape and sexual assault allegations made against Andrew Tate by several women between 2014 and 2015. The brothers are also facing separate allegations of rape and human trafficking brought by different women in investigations being conducted by Bedfordshire Police, which covers their hometown of Luton. They are additionally accused of tax evasion and money laundering in the UK. Responding to the latest development, the brothers’ lawyer, Joseph McBride, maintained that they are innocent. “We are confident that once a competent judge sees the facts, and once the Department of Justice confronts this egregious abuse of its own authority, Andrew and Tristan Tate will walk free,” McBride said in a statement. Andrew and Tristan Tate, who hold dual British and American citizenship, have publicly expressed support for US President Donald Trump. In March 2025, authorities in the US state of Florida launched a separate criminal investigation into the brothers, although the status of that inquiry remains unclear. Andrew Tate is one of the most prominent figures associated with the online “manosphere” movement, a network of communities that promote traditional masculinity, anti-feminist views and self-improvement. He has built a massive online following, with more than 10.8 million followers on X, where he frequently shares controversial content centred on alpha-male ideology and misogynistic themes. The brothers are also facing separate criminal proceedings in Romania, where they have been based in recent years. Romanian prosecutors have accused them of offences including trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering.

Three siblings escorting mother’s corpse to Benue abducted by gunmen Three siblings travelling from Abuja to Benue State with the remains of their mother for burial were reportedly abducted by gunmen in the early hours of Saturday. Sunday PUNCH gathered that the incident occurred around 4 a.m. between Omutele and Ankpechi in Oglewu District, along the Ogobia–Otukpo Road in Ohimini Local Government Area. According to sources, the attackers intercepted the victims’ vehicle while they were transporting their mother’s body to Iklenyi community in neighbouring Okpokwu Local Government Area for burial. The incident marks the second reported attack within a week involving mourners conveying a corpse for burial, raising fresh concerns over the deteriorating security situation on roads connecting Benue and neighbouring states. A resident of Omutele, who identified himself simply as Elijah, said locals were awakened by gunfire between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. “We heard sporadic gunshots between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. today (Saturday), and we initially thought Fulani herdsmen were attacking our community. “At daybreak, we learnt that gunmen had kidnapped some people escorting their mother’s corpse from Abuja to Iklenyi community in neighbouring Okpokwu Local Government Area for burial,” he said. A video circulating on social media claimed the family’s vehicle developed a mechanical fault, leaving them stranded on the highway before the gunmen attacked. It was not immediately clear whether the deceased’s body was also taken by the abductors. Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Ohimini Local Government Area, Gabriel Adole, said he was heading to the scene to verify the circumstances surrounding the attack. “Yes, I am going to the scene of the incident now to ascertain what really happened,” Adole said. The spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, said she had yet to receive an official report on the incident. She added that she would contact the Divisional Police Officer in the area for details but had not provided further information as of the time this report was filed. The latest abduction comes barely a week after gunmen ambushed a funeral convoy transporting the remains of a late Deputy Corps Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Augustine Ikwue, along the Ochadamu–Ejule Road in Kogi State. During the attack, nine mourners were abducted, while the deceased’s corpse was briefly seized before being abandoned and later recovered by family members for burial. Meanwhile, former Labour Party presidential aspirant Peter Agada has called on President Bola Tinubu to take decisive action to end the wave of killings across the country following the recent killing of about 16 people in Akpachi and Otukpo-Nobi communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. Speaking in Abuja on Saturday, Agada urged the Federal Government to move beyond condolence visits and take concrete steps to dismantle criminal groups responsible for violent attacks nationwide. “President Bola Tinubu’s administration must stop being a government of empty ceremonial promises of security and rise to restore Nigeria from being a republic of bloodshed to one of law, order, peace, opportunity and prosperity,” he said. He also called on the government to deploy modern technology and intelligence driven security strategies to tackle terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and other violent criminal groups.