Interpol Apprehends Fugitive Businessman in Benin Republic Over Alleged Lagos Killings
An alleged fugitive businessman, Hammed Tajudeen Akanbi, has been arrested in the Benin Republic after months of intensive tracking by the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol). He was subsequently handed over to Nigerian police authorities for prosecution. The suspect had been on the run since earlier this year when he was declared wanted by police for his alleged involvement in multiple killings and violent crimes in Lagos, including the deaths of two individuals in separate attacks.
Police Reopen Investigations with New Evidence
Police have reopened investigations into the case, citing new evidence and confessions from alleged accomplices connected to the incidents. The directive to reopen the investigation came from the Inspector General of Police, Disu, following fresh concerns over unresolved killings in parts of Lagos. Authorities stated that new findings have more directly linked the suspect to the crimes, which include murder, attempted murder, and destruction of property.
Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, confirmed the development during a press briefing. He explained that the case involves serious allegations spanning several years. "This case involves multiple murders, attempted murders, and destruction of lives and property spanning several years," Jimoh said. He emphasized the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensuring justice, regardless of an individual's status.
Details of the Alleged Crimes
According to police reports, Akanbi is accused of orchestrating attacks that led to the deaths of Prince Ademola Akinloye and Sheriff Ishola Salami in separate incidents within the Eti-Osa area of Lagos. The attacks were described as coordinated, and investigators allege that some accomplices arrested earlier confessed to carrying out the killings on his instructions. The suspect was said to have financed these operations.
International Cooperation Leads to Arrest
The arrest followed months of coordinated tracking by Interpol, which located Akanbi in a hotel in Cotonou, Benin Republic. He was apprehended on April 15 and later handed over to Nigerian authorities at the Zone 2 Police Command in Onikan, Lagos state. The Commissioner of Police for Interpol, Fidelis Ogarabe, highlighted that intelligence sharing played a key role in the arrest. "Our counterparts in Benin Republic cooperated fully. After due processes, the suspect was handed over to our team and brought back to Nigeria," Ogarabe noted.
Authorities added that items recovered from the suspect will support ongoing investigations. Police have urged victims and members of the public with relevant information to come forward as efforts continue to conclude the case.
Background on Recent Police Operations
Earlier, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force Zone 2 Command in Onikan, Lagos, apprehended seven suspects linked to multiple murders, armed robbery, cultism, and unlawful possession of firearms. These arrests followed a targeted operation launched after credible intelligence identified the suspects' activities, underscoring ongoing efforts to combat violent crime in the region.
