Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have raided a residential building and arrested 23 foreign nationals in connection with an alleged ponzi scheme, visa scam and other immigration-related offences in Ota area of the state.

The suspects were arrested last Tuesday at about 11 am by operatives attached to Atan-Ota Division of the Command.

Confirming the incident on Monday, the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi said the raid followed credible intelligence received by the Command.

He said, “On 4th August, 2026, at about 1100hrs, acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Atan-Ota Division raided a gated residential building within an estate off Iyana Iyesi, Onipanu-Ota, where 23 foreign nationals were arrested in connection with an alleged Ponzi scheme/visa scam and other immigration-related offences.

“The operation followed intelligence received by the police concerning suspected fraudulent activities at the location. 

“Police personnel promptly mobilised, secured the premises and arrested the suspects for further investigation.”

Babaseyi noted that one Malian international passport bearing the name Diakite Alfousseini was recovered during the operation.

 He disclosed that following preliminary investigation, 21 of the suspects were formally handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further immigration-related investigation and appropriate action.

The PRO stated that two suspects were retained by the Police for prosecution in connection with Obtaining by False Pretence (OBT) and other related offences, subject to the conclusion of investigation.

“Investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged fraudulent activities and identify any other persons connected with the scheme,” the spokesperson added.

In another development, operatives attached to Itele Division arrested a suspected armed robber and recovered one locally fabricated cut-to-size double-barrel pistol, criminal charms, one Tecno Android phone and one UBA ATM card.

The spokesperson stated that the suspect and one other who is at large attempted to rob a motorcyclist at gunpoint along Orji Block Area, Itele.

“On 3rd August, 2026, at about 0048hrs, the Itele Division received a distress report from a commercial motorcyclist alleging that two passengers he picked up at Three Crown Bus Stop attempted to rob him at gunpoint along Orji Block Area, Itele.

“Acting swiftly on the distress call, Police personnel immediately mobilised to the location, leading to the arrest of Babatunde Olasunkanmi ‘M’, who allegedly pointed a locally fabricated cut-to-size double-barrel pistol at the victim while his accomplice made away with the victim’s red Bajaj motorcycle,” he added.

The PRO added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing accomplice, while the suspect and exhibits would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for discreet investigation.

The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the death of a 23-year-old Nigerian Law School student, Faith Alayande, in an incident at the institution’s hostel in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The student was reportedly found unresponsive within the hostel premises on Friday, August 7, 2026, after allegedly jumping from the rooftop of the four-storey building.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the incident in a telephone conversation, saying the matter was reported to the police by the hostel matron.

According to Adebisi, a hostel mate and a relative of the deceased reportedly discovered a note believed to have been written by Alayande and began searching for her.

She said the student was allegedly located after she had jumped from the rooftop of the hostel building.

“I can confirm the incident. The deceased reportedly wrote a suicide note and, before her hostel mate and a relative could locate her, she jumped from the rooftop of a four-storey building,” Adebisi said.

She added that police officers visited the scene after receiving the report, while the deceased’s remains were subsequently evacuated to a morgue for preservation.

A security analyst, Zagazola Makama, who also reported the incident on X, said another student discovered Alayande’s body within the hostel and alerted the institution’s matron.

According to Makama, the Chief Matron of the Law School, Mrs Igbokwe Juliana, reported the incident at the Victoria Island Police Division at about 6:30am.

He said the matron subsequently proceeded to the scene, where the deceased was found lying on the ground within the hostel premises.

Makama stated that preliminary observations suggested that Alayande may have fallen from the rooftop of the four-storey hostel building.

The circumstances surrounding the incident, including the contents and authenticity of the alleged note, remain subject to police investigation.

The Lagos State Police Command said an investigation into the incident was ongoing.

A young man identified as Azeez has reportedly died after he was allegedly assaulted by suspected cultists following a dispute over a missing mobile phone in the Oko-Oba area of Agege, Lagos State.

A police source, who spoke with our correspondent on Sunday, said the incident occurred on Monday, August 3, after Azeez and some associates reportedly became involved in an argument over a missing phone following a party.

According to the source, the disagreement escalated into a physical attack on Azeez by some of the suspected cultists, who were said to be his friends. He reportedly sustained injuries during the assault and later died.

“We got a report that he passed away as a result of an assault on him by some suspected cultists said to be his friends. The argument was as a result of a missing phone,” the source said.

An anti-cultism advocacy platform, Naija Confra, provided a separate account of the incident in a post published on Saturday, alleging that the events began during a birthday celebration on Sunday night, August 2.

The platform claimed that a fight broke out at the gathering and that a man identified as Abela allegedly picked up a phone and handed it to Azeez.

According to the account, the phone’s owner later realised it was missing and began searching for it. When the device was eventually traced to Azeez, he allegedly explained that Abela had given it to him for safekeeping.

Naija Confra alleged that Abela denied handing the phone to Azeez despite claims that witnesses had seen him do so.

The platform further claimed that the phone’s owner and some associates subsequently assaulted Azeez before leaving the venue after allegedly being unable to confront Abela.

It added that Azeez later confronted Abela over the alleged denial, resulting in another confrontation that reportedly escalated into a further assault.

According to the advocacy platform, Azeez was subsequently taken to another location by suspected members of the Neo-Black Movement, where he was allegedly attacked.

The police source, however, did not provide details of the circumstances surrounding the alleged second assault or identify those responsible for the attack.

The source confirmed that Azeez eventually died from injuries sustained during the assault.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, could not be reached for an immediate reaction. Calls placed to her telephone lines were unanswered, while a text message sent to her had not received a response as of the time of filing this report.

The circumstances surrounding Azeez’s death remain subject to police investigation, and the allegations made by the advocacy platform could not be independently verified.