Operatives of Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested 12 suspects over an attempted murder of a tanker escort and the diversion of a 45,000 litre diesel laden truck as well as the diversion of 410 bags of flour.
The incident happened on February, 1, 2017 when the truck with the registration number ENU 751 XH conveying 45,000 litres of diesel it loaded at Optima Depot, Koko, Warri in Delta State was hijacked after some suspects hit the truck pilot with hammer at the back of the head and threw him into a ditch.
The diversion was reported at Rapid Response Squad’s Headquarters in Alausa, where it was reported the officials declined to take up the case over jurisdiction. It was further revealed that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police; Mr. Fatai Owoseni on hearing of the incident directed that the police swing into action immediately, noting that crime has no jurisdiction.
The operatives in handling the case spent 11 straight days shuttling Ondo State, Ogun State, Lagos and Edo State and picking up all the suspects allegedly involved in the diversion of the diesel and 410 bags of flour.
As at yesterday, the operatives had arrested 23 people directly involved in the attempted murder of Tunji Ajayi, the representative of Samsuat Petroleum, the diversion, buyers and sub – buyers of the products.
The complainant, Mrs. Nafisat Osinowo, in her statement at the RRS’s Office in Alausa, Ikeja, stated, “the diesel was meant to be delivered in Sango, Ogun State. Our representative escorting the truck called me when they got to Benin that the tyre of the truck was not good in the afternoon.
He called again at 11:00 p.m. that the truck has been parked in Ore. It is our tradition not to travel at night. Our discussion was that they proceed on the journey at 5:00 a.m. the next day. That was the last time we spoke. Efforts to get him the following day proved abortive until few days later when we were called that he was in an intensive care unit at the hospital”.
Sources revealed that Gbenga Akinboyewa (33) and Obinna Ofunue (29) were recruited by a syndicate in connivance with the driver of the diesel truck, Amara (now at large) to eliminate Tunji Ajayi, the representative of the owner of the product.
The trio had at Ore at night, engaged Ajayi, overpowered him before hitting him at the back of the head with a hammer. They were reported to have thereafter dropped his body in a ditch along the road before diverting the truck with the 45,000 diesel.
The syndicate, led by Chibueze Nnamdi, a building materials dealer in Ore, Ondo State, Edwin Ozor, Oluchukwu and one Shedrach, now at large, had raised N800, 000:00 to pay for the services of those engaged in the course of the diesel diversion.
According to Nnmadi, “I invited Akinboyewa into the deal. I briefed him and he in turn invited Ofunue. The instruction we gave them was to tie the hands and legs of the escort and hide him somewhere so that within an hour, we would have closed the deal before he was loose. I didn’t say they should kill him.
Biggy (Ozor) and I raised N800, 000 to settle the boys, lodge them in a hotel, feed and take care of other emergencies in the course of the job. We promised Akinbiyewa N500, 000 for his own aspect of the job”.
He disclosed further, “when we were in control of the truck, we drove to Ijebu Ode, where we discharged 2,800 litres. We proceeded to Lagos, where we offloaded 19,200 in one station, 14,000 in another and 8,400 in the last filling station.
Those equally arrested in connection with the attempted murder and diesel diversions were: Sadiku Ganinu, Oluchukwu Oyema and Gbenga Aliyu.
Meanwhile, the operatives have also uncovered that the same syndicate had sometime last week facilitated the disposal off 410 bags of flour believed to belong to Dangote Flour.
Sources revealed that one of the suspects, whose name was not mentioned, disclosed to the police that the syndicate had a week ago, disposed a truck load of flour.
The revelation prompted further investigations by the operatives, which led the RRS team to Sagamu, Ogun State, where the buyer of the flour, Rabiu Bello was arrested.
Bello, a Colanut dealer, had in his statement stated that one Mustapha (at large) brought the flour deal to him, adding that, he bought each bag of the flour N8500.
He further stated that he in turn sold the flour in Zamfara at N9500 per bag.q
Others involved in the flour deal and arrested by the operatives included: Chigozie Obi, Feranmi Michael and Adedeji Kehinde.
All the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti.
Thousands of excited Nigerians attended the opening day of the much-anticipated maiden edition of the Lagos Shopping Festival (LSF) on Monday, December 23 and were served up an electrifying feast of events, activities and promotions across the the main venue of the festival, the iconic Mobolaji Johnson Arena, (formerly Onikan Stadium).
As advertised, first day of the festival lived up to its billing with a colourful blend of commerce, music, innovation and creativity following its flag off by the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
The Lagos Shopping Festival, powered by the Lagos State Government in collaboration with Chain Reactions Africa, a frontline PR firm, and supported by leading brands, including Zenith Bank, Tolaram Group, First Bank Plc, and Guinness, will see millions of people hit the main venue and select Lagos malls to bag the latest bargains, and bring together the best of city’s retail offering, showcasing local and top global brands and shopping experiences, including in-mall promotions.
Speaking at the event, Governor Sanwo-Olu described the LSF as a history-making festival of back-to-back shopping, fun, and entertainment, reaffirming the Lagos state’s commitment to grow small businesses as well as the entertainment industry.
“This is the first of its kind and this event is made to bring shoppers with MSMEs, with innovators, with entertainers, with the creative industry, with the food industry and everybody,” said Sanwo-Olu.
“For the next three days, we are meant to all come together, enjoy good food, good music, sales at discounted market price, shopping at the highest level and just general entertainment with the creativity of Lagos,” the Governor added.
He called on all Lagosians and Nigerian to join the fun, shopping and entertainment.
“Call everybody from Iyana-Ipaja to Alimosho, call people from Agege, call them from Ebute-Meta to Shomolu, call them from Bariga, from Badagry to Ikorodu, from Epe to Ibeju-Lekki, call everyone to come to the arena here at the Mobolaji Johson Center in Onikan where we’ll be doing shopping, we’ll be doing music, we’ll be doing entertainment for the next two days. This is the first of its kind”, Sanwo-Olu added.
He assured all fun-seekers, buyers and sellers of their safety, saying that they are in a safe, secure, peaceful environment, urging them to “to sit back, relax and see another Lagos creativity that is the first, and the very first Lagos Shopping Festival”.
Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed his appreciation to the sponsors of the Lagos Shopping Festival for their unwavering support to drive the story of Lagos commerce, entertainment and creativity.
“I want to thank all of our sponsors from FirstBank, to Zenith Bank, to Tolaram, to Smirnoff Ice, to Indomie Noodles, to OmniBiz, to PowerOil, to Minimie, and to Malta Guinness, all of them, including the Lagos State Government. I want to thank you”.
He also commended all the local and small businesses at the festival, and urged Lagosians and Nigerians to always patronize them.
“More importantly, to all the small businesses that are inside and under the canopies, go out there and make good deals. Go out there and do huge purchases from them. Go out there and make their small-scale market, work for them; because here, we want the market to be meeting all of the shoppers. That’s what this is all about. It’s about buying stuff at the most reduced market. It’s about entertainment, it’s about food, it’s about tourism. This is what Lagos has given to you again,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Also, commenting, the MD/ Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Africa, the organisers of the Lagos Shopping Festival, Mr Israel Jaiye Opayemi, buttressed the strategic significance of the festival saying, “LSF is poised to be the catalyst that will redefine the true essence of commerce, especially SME businesses, the creative ecosystem, and fun times with family, friends and loved one. LSF is sure set to open a new vista of socio-economic growth from Lagos, to Nigeria, whilst raising a unique bar in the African market”.
Fun-seekers and business men and women alike had entertainment value for their time, with dancing and singing competition with the winners adjudged by the audience receiving cash gifts. The highlight of the day was the energy-revving musical performances from the youthful Ayo Maff, with the soulful rendition of songs from Adekunle Gold the icing on the cake for the audience who kept singing along to his enchanting stage performances.
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