Fake Air Force officer arrested over three-year fraud scheme in Lagos

Published

2 months ago

February 24, 2026

A 27-year-old man, Yusuf Abdullahi, has been arrested in Lagos for allegedly impersonating a serving officer of the Nigerian Air Force and defrauding traders across major markets in the state in what authorities describe as a long-running scheme.

Military officials said the suspect operated by presenting himself as an Air Force personnel, using military camouflage to gain the confidence of unsuspecting traders before collecting goods and issuing fake bank transfer alerts.

His activities, investigators said, spanned several markets in Lagos and went undetected for years.

The operation came to an end on February 18, 2026, when traders at Ladipo Market raised an alarm over a man dressed in military attire who allegedly obtained goods without making valid payments.

He was initially restrained by traders before officers from the Ladipo Police Division intervened and took him into custody.

Confirming the arrest, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, NAFRC, Commander Patricia Ochei, said the suspect claimed to be a serving Air Force personnel attached to 055 Camp, Lagos, prompting the involvement of military police from NAFRC.

According to her, verification carried out by the Air Force revealed that Abdullahi was neither a serving member nor a former personnel of the Nigerian Air Force.

“He is an impostor who deliberately exploited military identity to gain trust and defraud members of the public. This was his established modus operandi before his arrest,” Ochei said.

She added that investigations further showed the vehicle used by the suspect was not a military vehicle but one assigned to him for commercial Uber operations.

“The vehicle has since been recovered and is currently at the Ladipo Police Station,” she disclosed.

Ochei revealed that the suspect had previously appeared on security watchlists, noting that officers at the 651 Nigerian Air Force Base, Ikeja, later confirmed that his photograph had circulated among security units following similar incidents reported at Oshodi and Alaba International markets.

“Investigations indicate that his activities spanned more than three years, during which he allegedly defrauded traders at Trade Fair, Ladipo and Alaba markets using fake transfer alerts,” she said, adding that at least five victims had so far come forward to identify him.

“Among them is an elderly woman who said she lost more than N300,000 to the suspect,” Ochei added.

During questioning, Abdullahi reportedly admitted obtaining the military camouflage from a friend and said he was drawn into crime in July while working as a commercial motorcyclist between Iyana-Ipaja and Oshodi.

“I started wearing the camouflage when a man called Sergeant Samuel gave me the uniform to work as security at a party. I was paid N35,000 for that job,” the suspect was quoted as saying.

He, however, failed to provide details about the whereabouts of the said Samuel or explain how he came into possession of the special forces uniform and dagger allegedly recovered from him at the time of arrest.

Before being handed over to the police, the suspect was confronted by five individuals who claimed he had defrauded them in the past. He reportedly denied wrongdoing, insisting that network failures prevented successful transfers.

On efforts to apprehend other members of the alleged syndicate, including the individual said to have supplied the camouflage, Commander Ochei reaffirmed the military’s zero-tolerance stance on impersonation.

“Investigations are ongoing. The Armed Forces will continue to work with the police, relevant stakeholders and members of the public to identify impostors and ensure they face the full weight of the law,” she said.

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HRH Ekwueme of Ochia Kingdom Iynched & kiIIed in Imo.

Published

5 hours ago

April 11, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Gunmen on Friday night killed the traditional ruler of Ochia, Barr Paulinus Ekwueme, alongside security operatives in the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State. The attackers ambushed the monarch at the boundary of Assa and Ochia communities after he returned from a trip abroad earlier in the week.

Some security operatives in his convoy were also shot dead. Eyewitness said the monarch and the security operatives were set ablaze after the killing, adding that the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area had been thrown into mourning.

Hrm lives in America, but some in his town accuse him of acquiring lots of wealth coming from the oil in their land and yet they have no nepa (light) and other amenities, and that this angered the youths of his community to take this step. One said Ms Duruaku wrote, “he ate the youth empowerment meant given to him by shell oil company and ran abroad for years”

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Abuja hotel collapse: Wike orders arrest of owner, to convert land to public use

Published

4 days ago

April 7, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate arrest of the owner of a multi-story hotel that collapsed in Jikwoyi, Abuja last Friday, April 4 and announced that the land would be seized for public use.

LIB had reported that the building crumbled while workers were on site, triggering an emergency response from relevant authorities.

Visiting the site today April 7, Wike said the building was constructed without approval from the FCT Department of Development Control and that all the stop-work notices sent to the builders were ignored by the developer.

Wike confirmed that while there were no fatalities, several people sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. He warned that the outcome could have been far worse.

Announcing the government’s plans for the land, Wike said the FCT Administration will take over the land for public use, noting that those responsible for the illegal construction will face prosecution in accordance with the law.

He added that the local community would be consulted to determine a suitable public-purpose project for the reclaimed site.

Ex-INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega Loses Wife

Published

6 days ago

April 5, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Hajiya Hadiza Attahiru Jega, wife of former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Attahiru Jega, has passed away.

Her family confirmed the development in a statement issued on Sunday, April 5, 2026, announcing that her Janaiza prayer would be held after the Zuhr prayer at 1:30 p.m. at the National Mosque Abuja.