AIG Vows Prosecution of Multiple Murder Suspect
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2, Moshood Jimoh, has vowed to prosecute Alhaji Tajudeen Hammed Akanbi, a 38-year-old suspect accused of multiple murders. On Tuesday, Jimoh displayed a 2017 Lexus LX 570, a passport, and two mobile phones recovered from Akanbi after his arrest by the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) in Benin Republic on April 15, 2026. The suspect was transferred to Nigeria on April 17, 2026, following his capture at a hotel in Cotonou, where he was reportedly wearing a T-shirt with the inscription “Wanted Dead or Alive.”
Details of the Arrest
Police sources confirmed that Akanbi was arrested based on intelligence indicating he had been declared wanted in Nigeria for multiple homicides. Investigations revealed that on April 18, 2023, a group including 40-year-old Safiu Fatai (also known as Fabo), Yusuf Ismaila, Soji Mascot, and Kenny, armed with locally fabricated pistols, axes, and machetes, ambushed Sheriff Salami Ishola. The victim was dragged into an abandoned building on Mobile Road in Moba, Ajah, Eti-Osa Local Council. One suspect, Safiu Salami, confessed to restraining the victim while Yusuf Ismaila (alias Bariga) and others shot him multiple times, resulting in his death. The assailants then fled the scene.
Police stated that the two principal suspects, Ismaila and Fatai, confessed that the killing was carried out on the instructions of Akanbi, who allegedly hired them. Further findings showed that on August 26, 2024, the same group was involved in the murder of Prince Ademola Akinloye, son of Oba Adetunji Akinloye, the Ojomu of Ajiran land in Eti-Osa, Lagos State. The victim was shot multiple times along Chevron Road in Ajiran in a similar attack. According to the AIG, suspects currently in custody stated that Akanbi paid them N2 million three days after the killing of the first victim.
Reopening of Cases
Although the incidents occurred in 2023 and 2024, before Jimoh assumed office as Commissioner of Police in Lagos, he reopened the cases following fresh evidence linking Akanbi to the crimes and subsequently declared him wanted. Speaking with The Guardian, the AIG said: “We want everyone to know that once you engage in criminal activity no matter where you run to in the world, the Nigeria Police Force will catch up with you and this is what happened. This case involves multiple murders, attempted murders, and destruction of lives and property spanning several years. The suspect, Ahmed Akanbi, was earlier declared wanted alongside other accomplices, Safiu Fatai, Yusuf Ismaila, Soji Mascot, and one Kenny. I can confirm to you that he has now been arrested by INTERPOL operatives in Benin Republic and handed over to INTERPOL Nigeria, and today handed to us at Zone 2 command. Investigations will be concluded before he is charged to court.”
Jimoh added that previous Commissioners of Police in Lagos had made progress in the investigation, while new evidence later strengthened the case against the suspect. He also cautioned against misinformation and attempts to politicise the case, assuring that the police would ensure justice is served. “The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to ensuring that no individual, regardless of status, escapes justice. We will follow due process and ensure that all those involved are prosecuted,” he said. The AIG urged individuals affected by the suspect’s alleged activities to come forward with evidence to support ongoing investigations, assuring that victims would be protected.
International Collaboration
Also speaking, Commissioner of Police, INTERPOL, Lagos, Fidelis Ogarabe, said the arrest was made possible through international collaboration. “Our counterparts in Benin Republic cooperated fully. After due processes, the suspect was handed over to our team and brought back to Nigeria. We have now transferred him to the AIG in charge of the case for the continuation of investigation,” he said. Ogarabe added that items recovered from the suspect, including travel documents, mobile phones, and a luxury vehicle, would aid ongoing investigations.
