Crime
Lawyers Accuse Police Of Withholding Seun Kuti’s Case File
Lawyers representing Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti have accused the police of disregarding a court order by withholding the artist’s case file.
The lawyers released a statement on Friday, urging the Lagos State Deputy Commissioner of Police, Simon Lough, to comply with the magistrate’s court order to send the case file to the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
Seun Kuti, who is the son of the late Afrobeats legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has been in police custody since May 15 on allegations of assaulting a police officer.
Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, the singer’s lead counsel, has criticized the police for their handling of the matter, describing it as a theatrical spectacle.
According to the lead counsel, Seun Kuti is patiently awaiting formal charges so that he can present his defense.
He said, “Mr Kuti submitted himself to the police so that he can go answer in court for the allegation of assaulting a policeman. It is the police who, rather than taking this simple and straightforward step, have decided to create a circus and make a ‘national emergency’ of the matter.
“Now that Mr Kuti has been put in manacles and taken on parade from one police station to another and from one location to the other across Lagos State since Monday, May 15, when exactly is he going to be charged for, as you put it in your statement, ‘attacking and slapping a police officer in uniform?’”
“That should not be too much for a suspect to expect. I do hope that Lough as a lawyer and indeed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria counselling the police on this matter will obey the order of the magistrate’s court to send the case file to the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions for legal evaluation and possible charge and prosecution before a court of law.” he added.
Contrary to the claim, Olumide-Fusika, the lead counsel, refuted the allegation, stating that Seun Kuti’s legal team had never participated in a “media trial or defense” of their client.
Crime
Lagos Naming Ceremony Turns Tragic As Police Shoot 11-Year-Old Girl, Elderly Man
A naming ceremony in the Orile Iganmu area of Lagos State reportedly turned tragic after police officers allegedly discharged firearms, leaving an 11-year-old girl and an elderly man with gunshot injuries.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 8pm on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, around Ekunjinmi/Wewe Street, Orile Iganmu.
According to the Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria (MOTION), Apapa Coordinating Structure, police officers arrived at the gathering and attempted to stop the event, including the activities of the DJ.
SEE ALSO: ICAN, Police Move to Finalise MoU on Financial Crime Investigation
MOTION said residents resisted the move, stating that there was no apparent justification for stopping the gathering.
The group alleged that firearms were discharged during the ensuing incident, injuring two residents.
The 11-year-old victim, identified as Mistura Murtala, was reportedly shot in the leg and rushed to Olukayode Hospital in Orile Iganmu, where she is receiving emergency medical treatment.
MOTION said it had spoken with members of Mistura’s family, including her mother and brother, and was monitoring her condition.
An elderly man identified as Sodiq Aremu was also reportedly shot in the neck. The group said he remains hospitalised and has been advised to undergo emergency surgery estimated to cost about ₦500,000.
MOTION said it was particularly concerned by eyewitness accounts identifying a police officer popularly known as “Kola” as allegedly being involved in the incident.
According to the group, an eyewitness claimed to have seen the officer discharge a firearm, resulting in the young girl’s injury.
MOTION stressed that the allegation must be properly investigated and corroborated through available evidence and witness testimony.
The group demanded answers over why police officers were called to the gathering, what offence or disturbance they were responding to, why the ceremony was being stopped and which officers were present at the scene.
It also demanded an investigation into who discharged the firearm and why a firearm was allegedly discharged in a populated residential environment.
MOTION further called for the preservation of photographs, videos, medical records, witness accounts, police reports and other relevant evidence, including CCTV footage where available.
The group also raised concerns over an allegation that a traditional community leader, locally referred to as the Baale, told Mistura’s parent that her injury was caused by tear gas rather than a firearm.
MOTION said the claim should be tested against medical and other available evidence, stressing that it was treating the matter as an allegation requiring verification.
The group also said it had received information about an earlier alleged encounter between Aremu and the officer known as “Kola”, including an allegation of a previous arrest, but noted that the claim required verification.
MOTION acknowledged that the Divisional Police Officer of Orile Police Station had been informed of the incident and that medical assistance was reportedly provided to one of the victims.
However, it insisted that the provision of medical assistance did not remove the need for a transparent investigation into the circumstances of the shooting, who discharged the firearm and whether the conduct complied with the law and applicable police rules.
The group called for an immediate, impartial and transparent investigation, the identification of all police officers involved, full medical support for both victims and protection for the victims, their families and witnesses.
It also demanded accountability if the investigation establishes misconduct or unlawful conduct, as well as appropriate redress and support for the victims.
MOTION said it was not calling for mob justice, violence or the prejudging of any criminal trial.
The group maintained that police officers entrusted with firearms to protect lives and maintain public safety must exercise force lawfully, responsibly and with necessary restraint.
It said the circumstances surrounding the shooting must be investigated and that the victims and their families deserved answers.
Crime
Police Probe PCRC Chairman Olaniyan Over Alleged ₦178m Financial Crimes
The Nigeria Police Force has commenced steps to investigate alleged financial crimes involving more than ₦178 million against the National Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Alhaji Mogaji Ibrahim Olaniyan, and other national executive officers of the organisation.
The allegations were contained in a petition submitted to the Inspector-General of Police on July 13, 2026, by the law firm of A.F. Obainoke & Co. on behalf of some elected national officers of the PCRC.
According to the petition, Olaniyan and some other national executive officers were accused of financial crimes involving more than ₦178 million.
SEE ALSO: IGP Disu Proposes New Police Desk for Nigeria’s Creative Economy, Intellectual Property
The petitioners said they were elected into various national positions in the PCRC in 2022, including the position of National Auditor, while Olaniyan was elected National Chairman and subsequently sworn into office.
In a letter dated July 20, 2026, the office of the Inspector-General of Police forwarded the petition to the Director of Legal Services of the Nigeria Police Force for appropriate action.
The letter, signed by CP Lateef Ahmed, Principal Staff Officer, conveyed the directive of the Inspector-General for the matter to be handled by the legal services department.
The document, according to the report, was received by the Directorate of Legal Services on July 28, 2026.
The latest development comes amid ongoing allegations and internal disputes surrounding the leadership of the PCRC under Olaniyan.
Previous Allegations
The development follows earlier allegations of financial mismanagement and accountability concerns within the organisation.
In March, some PCRC members reportedly accused Olaniyan of failing to account for more than ₦20 million allegedly generated from registration fees for the organisation’s 2026 national leadership workshop.
Sources cited in the report claimed that more than 2,000 PCRC members registered for the workshop at ₦12,000 each in January and February 2026.
The report also alleged that the organisation had not conducted a comprehensive audit of its national accounts for more than three years.
Another PCRC controversy emerged in 2023 when an eight-member committee was reportedly constituted to investigate allegations involving ₦60.3 million allegedly embezzled by the chairman.
A document cited in the report indicated that the committee confirmed that ₦60.3 million had been realised by the PCRC and reviewed expenditure records, with an alleged balance of approximately ₦1.4 million.
The committee reportedly recommended measures including greater financial discipline, limiting the chairman’s powers and ensuring compliance with the organisation’s constitution.
PCRC Election Controversy
The latest allegations also come amid disputes over internal elections within the PCRC.
In July, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 13, AIG Godwin Iguh Eze, reportedly postponed a PCRC Zone 13 election over alleged procedural issues.
The police said nomination forms had not been made available to the AIG or the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, while contestants had also not been screened by the AIG or members of the Zonal Management Team.
Sources further alleged that Olaniyan had sought to influence the electoral process, although he reportedly did not respond to attempts to obtain his reaction.
Meanwhile, sources within the PCRC reportedly claimed that Olaniyan is seeking another tenure as National Chairman ahead of the November 29 election.
Crime
EFCC Arrests Enugu Estate MD Over Alleged N128m Land Scam
Operatives of the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Basil Iwoba Ochili, Managing Director of Debasilio Construction and Estate Development Limited, over alleged fraudulent activities involving N128 million.
The EFCC disclosed this in a statement posted on its official X account on Wednesday.
According to the commission, Ochili was arrested for allegedly using his company for fraudulent activities, including “obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N128,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Twenty-eight Million Naira).”
SEE ALSO: EFCC Warns Lawyers Against Charging Clients in Foreign Currencies
The EFCC said Ochili was arrested based on a claim by a petitioner who alleged that sometime in September 2022, the suspect falsely presented himself as the owner of five plots of land situated beside Anambra State Secretariat by Stamford Hotel, Aroma Junction, Awka, Anambra State, and falsely offered the property for sale.
“Relying on the suspect’s representation, the petitioner purchased the said plots in the sum of N128,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Million Naira), which was paid into the suspect’s company account,” the EFCC said.
However, the commission said the petitioner was unable to take possession of the land.
Preliminary investigations, according to the EFCC, showed that the suspect knew that the land “encroached on Anambra State Government Secretariat’s land” but allegedly went ahead to sell it to the petitioner.
The commission further said that instead of refunding the petitioner’s money, Ochili “offered him two dud cheques.”
“Further preliminary investigations showed that the suspect used part of the money to settle his debts,” the EFCC said.
The commission also stated that Ochili’s company, Debasilio Construction and Estate Development Limited, “has never been tax compliant.”
The EFCC said the suspect will be charged to court after investigations are concluded.
“The suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the commission stated.





