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Police reject N174m bribe offered by arrested notorious Lagos internet fraudster

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The suspect, Patrick Akpoguma wearing mask
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‘I felt too intelligent to work for a salary’ …I’ve made $500,000 in 3 years, suspect confesses

Operatives of the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, have refused a bribe of ₦174 million offered by a 28-year-old suspected internet fraudster, Patrick Akpoguma.

The suspect is accused of engaging in various forms of cyber fraud, including romance scams, identity theft, hacking, cryptocurrency fraud, ritualism, and cultism.

Akpoguma, speaking with journalists at Zone 2 Command, confessed to the crimes, explaining that his attempt to clear his name led him to offer bribes to the police. He proposed a payment of $100,000 USD (approximately ₦174 million) to secure his release.

Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Adegoke Fayoade revealed that the investigation began on 7 November 2024 following reports from residents of Chevron Drive, Lekki, where the suspect resides.

• AIG Adegoke Fayoade while parading the suspect before journalists on Friday

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According to AIG Fayoade:”Patrick Akpoguma admitted to being involved in what is known as romance scams and other cryptocurrency-related scams. He meets various people online and presents himself as a notable and famous Caucasian American, such as Colonel Matt Herbert, a serving U.S. Army officer currently on a peacekeeping mission in Iran. He also impersonates Adam Taggart, a renowned cryptocurrency and stock brokerage expert in the United States.

“He convinces his unsuspecting victims that he is a top executive working on several projects that require funding, which leads him to request loans. Typically, he receives these loans via his Bitcoin Trust Wallet or through blockchain transactions. So far, he has defrauded over seven victims using this method.

“To perfect these fraudulent activities, he created a fake Instagram account under the name ‘Adam Taggart.’ This account allowed him to purchase a silicone face and hand mask from maskmakers.com, which was delivered to his residence on Chevron Drive, Lekki. He paid $11,200 USD for the manufacturing of this mask, which he used to impersonate Adam Taggart on Facebook and Instagram.”

Bribe Offer and Arrest

AIG Fayoade further disclosed that during the investigation, Akpoguma offered $100,000 USD as a bribe to the police.

“Once I was informed about this, I instructed my detectives from the Raider team, led by CSP Ngozi Braid, to play along.

“On 12 November 2024, he offered the money, which was accepted, registered as evidence, and the investigation continued.

“So far, the investigation has been concluded, and the suspect will be arraigned accordingly,” he added.

Suspect’s Confession

Akpoguma, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering, revealed his motivation for engaging in fraud.

“I felt too intelligent to work for a salary, which is why I turned to fraud three years ago. I’ve made over $500,000 USD since then. I own a house in Lagos, another in Edo State, and a GLE Benz worth ₦100 million.

“Once I defraud people and feel I’ve taken enough from them, I simply walk away. I don’t leave them penniless.”

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Police arrest three Anambra women over alleged sale of child for ₦2 million

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The Anambra State Police Command has arrested three women for their alleged involvement in child trafficking and the sale of a four-year-old boy for N2m.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspects, Florence Nnakuzie, 45; Hannah Ugah, 52; and Chinasa Daniel, 27, were arrested by operatives attached to the Awada Divisional Headquarters at a motor park in Onitsha.

Ikenga alleged that the suspects belonged to a child trafficking syndicate that specialised in trafficking children and selling them to buyers for various sums of money.

According to him, the suspects were arrested during a raid on their hideouts on Saturday evening, while other members of the syndicate escaped. He added that some children were rescued during the operation.

The statement read, “The Anambra State Police Command, on the evening of July 11, recorded another breakthrough in its sustained fight against child trafficking with the arrest of three female suspects, Florence Nnakuzie, 45; Hannah Ugah, 52; and Chinasa Daniel, 27, at a motor park in Onitsha by police operatives attached to Awada Divisional Headquarters.

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“Preliminary information revealed how Chinasa Daniel allegedly brought two children, a two-week-old baby and a four-year-old child, on two separate occasions between June and December 2025 and handed them over to Hannah Ugah.

“Chinasa further disclosed that the four-year-old child was subsequently handed over to Florence Nnakuzie and allegedly sold for the sum of N2 million, while the two-week-old baby was allegedly sold to another woman, who is currently at large.”

According to him, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ikioye Orutugu, described child trafficking as a grave violation of human rights and a crime against humanity and directed the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, for a comprehensive and discreet investigation.

“The CP has also ordered operatives to intensify efforts to identify and apprehend every member of the trafficking syndicate and to commence coordinated operations aimed at locating, rescuing, and reuniting the trafficked children with their biological families.

“The Command appreciates members of the public whose timely and credible information led to the successful operation and urges residents to continue supporting the police with useful intelligence,” the statement added.

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Soldiers intercept illicit drugs on Lagos-Calabar road, arrest driver

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Troops of the 65 Battalion of the Nigerian Army have intercepted a truck conveying a large consignment of illicit drugs along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and arrested its driver.

The interception followed an intelligence-led operation conducted on July 9, 2026, after troops received actionable intelligence from a credible source.

This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Lt. Col. Musa Yahaya.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the illicit consignment was being transported to the Berger general area of Lagos State.

“However, the suspect could not provide satisfactory information regarding the ownership or intended recipient of the drugs,” the statement read.

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It added, “In line with established procedures, the suspect and the recovered illicit drugs were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos State Command, for further investigation and prosecution.”

The handover was carried out by the Commanding Officer of the 65 Battalion, Lt. Col. S. Adeojo.

Commending the troops, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Maj. Gen. Adebayo Babalola, praised their vigilance, professionalism and operational effectiveness.

He urged them to sustain the momentum of ongoing operations and intensify efforts to deny drug traffickers and other criminal elements freedom of action within the division’s area of responsibility.

The Army said the operation underscored its continued collaboration with relevant security agencies in tackling drug trafficking and other criminal activities.

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Three brothers charged with murder after beating mother’s boyfriend to death

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Three brothers have been charged with murder in Eswatini after allegedly beating their mother’s boyfriend to death over claims that he was involved in a romantic relationship with her.

The accused — Mlondi Mbuli, 25, Sakhelwe Mbuli, 18, and Lindani Mdziniso, 23 — appeared before the Mbabane Magistrates Court in connection with the killing, which reportedly occurred on June 28, 2026, in Hholoshini, located in the country’s Hhohho Region.

During the hearing, Principal Magistrate Sfiso Vilakati ordered that the three men remain in custody until July 10, 2026, while prosecutors prepare to transfer the case to the High Court, where murder cases are typically tried.

According to investigators, the suspects allegedly attacked the victim, identified as Njabulo Ngwenya, using bricks, stones, sticks, punches and repeated kicks, inflicting injuries that proved fatal.

Police believe the alleged assault stemmed from accusations that Ngwenya was having an affair with the
brothers’ biological mother.

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The incident came to the attention of authorities after Sibongile Motsa reported finding her son dead inside her sister’s home in the early hours of June 28.

Court documents state that Motsa discovered Ngwenya’s body at about 1 a.m. before notifying the Royal Eswatini Police Service, which subsequently launched an investigation and arrested the three suspects.

Following their first court appearance, the accused were remanded in custody pending the next hearing and the formal transfer of the matter to the High Court.

Authorities have not disclosed additional information beyond the facts presented during the initial court proceedings.

The case has drawn widespread public interest across Eswatini as investigations continue.

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland before Mswati III officially renamed the country in 2018, is a landlocked nation in southern Africa bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. Under the country’s judicial system, serious criminal offences such as murder are generally transferred from the Magistrates Court to the High Court after the initial hearing.

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