Crime
Oil Tycoon, Akintoye Akindele Remanded For $5.6m Fraud
Mr. Akintoye Akindele, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Duport Midstream Company Limited, found himself at the center of a legal storm on Friday, as he was ordered to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre over alleged involvement in a $5.6 million fraud case.
In a brief ruling, Justice James Omotosho directed Akindele to be remanded in the correctional centre until the completion of his bail process.
The court set the next hearing for March 20, during which it will review the documents confirming the bail previously granted to him.
According to the charge brought forth by the police, Akindele and Duport Midstream Company Limited are accused of diverting $5,636,397.01 and N73,543,763.25 belonging to Summit Oil International Ltd.
Between 2017 and 2021, Akindele and his company, the second defendant in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/570/2023, purportedly diverted funds received from Shell Western Supply and Trading Limited for their personal benefit.
On March 1, Justice Omotosho granted Akindele bail amounting to N750 million, insisting on two sureties who could meet the same financial threshold.
Justice Omotosho, stipulating stringent conditions for bail, mandated that the two sureties must possess landed property within the court’s jurisdiction, swear to an affidavit of means, and deposit their bank account statements with the court registrar.
Granting bail, Justice Omotosho emphasized that the defendant must fulfill all conditions by March 8.
Acknowledging the defendant’s previous bail from the FCT High Court, Justice Omotosho allowed him to maintain that bail until March 8.
However, he maintained that the defendant would be remanded if he failed to meet the conditions of the new bail by March 8.
Following the bail proceedings, Justice Omotosho adjourned the case until March 15 for the trial to commence. This decision came after Akindele was arraigned on a four-count charge by the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police.
During the subsequent hearing on Friday, the I-G’s lawyer, Mr. Simon Lough, SAN, informed the court that although the trial was scheduled to begin and three witnesses were present, he made an oral application to transfer the case to the Federal High Court in Lagos.
In response, Akindele’s lawyer, Chief James Onoja, SAN, opposed Lough’s oral application, stating his intention to provide a response to the request.
Justice Omotosho also intervened to correct the prosecutor regarding his oral application.
He said “Transfer is just not by oral application. There should be a motion on notice.
“There must be reasons for transfer and it must be by affidavit evidence and you will serve the other party for them to respond.
“If they agree with your reasons, that is that. But if they don’t agree, they have the right to say why it should not be taken to Lagos.”
Lough, however, contended that Section 22 of the FHC Act permitted a judge to transfer a case to a division with jurisdiction, even without a formal request.
Justice Omotosho clarified that while the court had the authority for such transfers, it typically occurred after hearing from all parties involved.
he added “It is not without the evidence of the other party,”
Onoja reiterated that during the previous hearing, the court clearly outlined that the trial would proceed. Despite the prosecution’s presence with their witnesses, they were now pushing for a transfer of the case.
Expressing concern over the fairness of this move, Onoja argued that it disadvantaged the defendant. He stated that he was fully prepared for trial and had not been informed of the prosecution’s intention for transfer despite ongoing communication with Lough.
Highlighting the case’s civil nature, Onoja pointed out that it had already been investigated in Lagos, with no incriminating findings against Akindele. He emphasized the irony of the prosecution initiating the charge and then seeking transfer.
Onoja concluded by informing the court that Akindele’s bail had been successfully secured.
But the judge informed Onoja that the defendant’s bail perfection documents were not in his possession.
Despite Onoja’s insistence that the documents were submitted to the court, he urged one of the registrars to confirm their existence in the court’s custody.
Initially reluctant to examine the documents, the judge eventually called for the file. Upon reviewing it, he noted that the bail was not perfected by March 8, as ordered by the court.
Justice Omotosho observed discrepancies, noting that while the sureties’ letter of introduction was dated March 13, the affidavit of means was dated March 11, three days after the specified deadline.
Expressing his leniency in light of the conditions of the earlier bail, the judge lamented the defendant’s failure to comply.
Akindele’s lawyer, however, appealed to the court not to issue an order for his client’s detention in the correctional center.
The judge was informed that the defendant was indisposed.
Consequently, the judge ordered Akindele to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre until the completion of his bail process.
The matter was adjourned until March 20 for the court to review the bail perfection and to hear the application for transferring the case to the Lagos division of the Federal High Court.
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a 21-year-old man, Samson Onilewaji, after allegedly discovering a suspected human hand, firearms and other items believed to be linked to criminal activities during a routine stop-and-search operation along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The arrest was confirmed on Friday by the command’s spokesperson, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, who disclosed that the suspect was travelling in an unregistered commercial shuttle bus alongside five other passengers when police officers intercepted the vehicle for inspection.
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According to Adebisi, a thorough search of the vehicle and its occupants led to the recovery of a suspected human right hand, two locally made pistols, one live cartridge, two axes, a Point of Sale (POS) terminal and five ATM cards from the suspect.
She further revealed that preliminary investigations showed the suspect allegedly confessed to recently robbing three people of their valuables, including the POS machine and ATM cards recovered from him.
The police spokesperson said investigators are working to determine the identity of the owner of the suspected human hand, how it came into the suspect’s possession and what it was allegedly intended to be used for.
She added that efforts are ongoing to track down other suspected members of the criminal network believed to be connected to the suspect.
Adebisi stated that the suspect would be arraigned in court after investigations are concluded.
She also quoted the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Tijani Olaiwola Fatai, as reassuring residents of the command’s commitment to tackling violent crimes and ensuring the safety of lives and property across the state.
The police commissioner urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing useful and timely information that could assist security agencies in preventing crime and bringing criminals to justice.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two elderly men aged 84 and 75 for allegedly supplying illicit drugs to secondary school students in Umuahia, Abia State, in a shocking case that has stirred public concern.
The suspects, identified as Godfrey Orji (84) and Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora (75), were arrested in separate intelligence-led operations by NDLEA operatives over their alleged involvement in drug distribution within school communities.
Drugs hidden in patent medicine shop
According to the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Obiora was arrested on June 19, 2026, after credible intelligence linked him to selling illicit substances to students from his patent medicine store located at 4 Club Road, Umuahia.
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A search of the premises reportedly led to the recovery of 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.
Babafemi stated: “Pa Obiora was arrested by NDLEA operatives following credible intelligence that he was selling illicit substances to young students and others in his patent medicine store.”
Arrest at school exposes second suspect
In a separate operation, Godfrey Orji, a pensioner, was apprehended after he was allegedly caught supplying drugs to students of Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia.
Security guards at the school reportedly intercepted him and handed him over to the police, who later transferred him to the NDLEA.
One of the teenage students, a 15-year-old SS2 pupil, allegedly confessed during interrogation that the suspect regularly supplied him with drugs, which he also sold to other students.
Students moved to rehabilitation
The NDLEA confirmed that while the two suspects will face prosecution, the affected students have been placed under counselling and rehabilitation programmes as part of efforts to curb drug abuse in schools.
Nationwide crackdown continues
The Abia arrests come amid ongoing nationwide operations by the NDLEA, which also recorded major drug seizures across the country In Lagos, operatives intercepted 9.5kg of ADB-Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid concealed in a shipment from China.
Another raid uncovered 300 grams of cannabis (“Loud”) hidden in handbags at a logistics facility.
A drug dealer’s home in Ajah was raided, with codeine syrup and cannabis recovered.
In Kogi State, a suspect was arrested with 1.030kg of methamphetamine hidden in custard containers.
In Oyo State, operatives recovered 1,416kg of skunk during a major raid.
In Edo State, large cannabis farms were destroyed, with over 4,000kg of cannabis recovered or eradicated.
NDLEA vows stronger enforcement
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended operatives across multiple states for their coordinated operations and urged them to sustain the momentum.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to both enforcement and public sensitisation under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
The NDLEA says it will continue its nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, especially those targeting vulnerable young people in school environments, as investigations and prosecutions continue in the Abia case.
Popular TikTok personality, Fati Cele, has been detained by the Kano State Police Command following the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye, at her residence in Kano State.
The development was confirmed on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna, who said the social media influencer is currently in custody while investigations continue.
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“Yes, it’s true, the TikToker is currently being detained over the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye,” Haruna said.
The police spokesperson, however, declined to provide further details regarding the incident, stressing that investigations are ongoing.
Fati Cele, who is originally from Borno State, resides in a rented apartment in the Danbare area of Kano.
She is a well-known content creator on TikTok, where she has built a following of more than 32,000 followers.
According to a source close to the deceased who spoke on condition of anonymity, the incident occurred after Cele allegedly raised an alarm from her residence, claiming there was a fire outbreak.
The source said Makaye was immediately rushed to Nassarawa Hospital for treatment but was later confirmed dead.
It was further gathered that officers attached to the Dorayi Babba Police Division subsequently took the TikTok personality into custody as part of ongoing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The deceased, Makaye, was a cosmetics trader who lived in the Hotoro Tishama area of Kano.
Family associates disclosed that he was buried at Unguwa Uku Yan Awaki after his remains were released to relatives for burial rites.
The Kano State Police Command has yet to disclose the exact cause of death, maintaining that investigations are still underway.
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