The Lagos State Police Command on Friday said preliminary investigations have uncovered how 65-year-old man Engr. Chibuike Azubike, who paraded himself as the “Obi of Lagos,” allegedly masterminded a fraudulent plan to swindle unsuspecting Nigerians through a bogus ₦1.5 billion palace unveiling.
It will be recalled that Azubike was arrested alongside three accomplices over an aborted installation ceremony in Amuwo Odofin.
Giving an update on the arrest, the spokesperson for the command, DSP Babaseyi B. Oluseyi, said: “Engr. Chibuike Azubike confessed that he is not a certified engineer as he had claimed, but a mere supplier of construction materials.”
Explaining further, Oluseyi said: “Police investigations revealed that the suspect had announced plans to unveil the prototype of a ₦1.5 billion ‘Palace of Obi of Lagos State’ at Apple Hall, Amuwo Odofin, on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
According to detectives, “the event was designed as a ploy to defraud dignitaries and unsuspecting members of the public.”
Oluseyi added that the suspect acted alone without the backing of any legitimate traditional authority in Lagos and warned Lagosians to disregard his claims and misleading social media publications.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, said the command will ensure that all suspects are arraigned in court upon conclusion of investigations.
Jimoh urged residents to remain vigilant and resist falling prey to similar schemes.
He assured that the Police remain committed to protecting citizens against criminal deception while sustaining peace and public order across the state.
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