metro

In Lagos, Police Officers Take N120,000 From Thespian Amid Slaps

Published

4 years ago

July 2, 2022

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi

Oscar Chihurumnanya, a thespian, has narrated how some unknown police officers operating in the Festac area of Lagos extorted N120,000 from him at Rainbow Bus Stop on June 23.

Chihurumnanya told FIJ that the experience left him traumatised and feeling unsafe.

“I was on my way to a rehearsal on that Thursday and I boarded a tricycle at ‘second rainbow’ between 9:45 am and 9:50 am. The tricycle was going to get me to the estate where the venue for my rehearsal was,” he said.

Chihurumnanya told FIJ that he had seen some persons manhandle an individual like a thief as he approached the tricycle park.

ID CARD WITHOUT IDENTIFICATION

“I was in a hurry because my rehearsal was supposed to begin at 10 am. As I was seated in the tricycle, a man in mufti with a face mask accosted me and flashed his ID card introducing himself as a policeman. He said they were carrying out a stop-and-search exercise and said that I would need to be searched,” Chihurumnanya said.

Chihurumnanya alighted from the tricycle and the search began. The police officer did not find anything incriminating on him or inside his bag. Chihurumnanya then explained to the officer that the money found in his bag was part of a thrift contribution.

READ ALSO:

“He (the police officer) also asked for a means of identification and I showed him my valid NIN slip. According to him, the NIN slip wasn’t substantial, so he asked what my occupation was and I told him that I am an actor, a professional background vocalist and makeup artist.”

Chihurumnanya said he showed the police officer videos and pictures to prove that he was indeed an actor and artiste. “All this happened right in front of a white mini-bus belonging to the supposed policemen interrogating me.”

FALSE ACCUSATION

Chihurumnanya said another policeman asked if he was a cyber fraudster. “Shey you sure say you no be ‘Yahoo boy’?” He asked me. ”I told him I was not a fraudster.”

The officer with Chihurumnanya’s phone typed ‘Yahoo’ into the search column on his phone’s WhatsApp and found a chat with the word. “He slapped me on my face and the other officers pushed me into the bus,” Chihurumnanya said.

Chihurumnanya said he could not identify any of the police officers. The officer who initially approached him did not allow him to see the details on the identification card he showed. Two officers wore mufti, while three wore the Nigeria Police Force Uniform, and they all wore face masks which concealed their facial features, he said.

‘YOU COULD GO TO JAIL’

“One of the officers told another to cuff my hands and they did. I was utterly speechless. I asked why I was arrested and they continued to slap me while telling me about the legal consequences of being a ‘Yahoo boy’. They said I could go to jail. But when I asked them to read the message that included ‘Yahoo’, they ignored me,” said Chihurumnanya.

“I asked if I was being taken to the nearest police station, but they kept on yelling and slapping me. They finally said that if I didn’t have up to three million naira to bail myself out of the situation, I was going to be jailed.”

Chihurumnanya said the officers held him in detention inside their white mini-bus. He believed they were taking him to a police station, but the officers had other ideas.

“I realised we had driven past First Gate, all the way from Second Rainbow. They finally stopped at a long deserted bridge with a canal on either side and asked me how much money I had in my bank account,”‘ he said.

“I asked them to take me to the police station again, but they resumed slapping me. One of them threatened to gun me down. He said that nothing was going to happen if they killed me right on that spot.”

Chihurumnanya told FIJ that the officers were drunk. “I could smell alcohol in their breath and I was terrified. These men could drive me anywhere and harm me, so I pleaded with them.

READ ALSO:

“While all of this was going on, my head was down because I was instructed to keep it down. They ensured I didn’t see their name tags.

“They drove me to an unknown place and asked that I withdraw all I had at a PoS outlet. I had N53,992 in my account, and withdrew N50,700. They collected the receipt and the money. They also collected the thrift contribution money. The thrift contribution was N70,000.

“They took me back to the bus and checked for the debit alert to confirm how much money I had left. They thought I had N32,000 in my account and started yelling at me until I confirmed it was N3,292 that was left.

“After that, they finally handed me my bag and my phone and stopped a bike for me. It was already 11am and I had no idea where I was.”

RESPONSE FROM LAGOS POLICE COMMAND

Chihurumnanya said that the Lagos State Police Command called him on Wednesday, and Benjamin Hundeyin, the state’s police spokesperson, documented his ordeal.

You’re most welcome. We will ensure this matter reaches a definitive conclusion. https://t.co/gLoz3ykKST

— SP Benjamin Hundeyin (@BenHundeyin) June 28, 2022

FIJ gathered that men claiming to be members of the Lagos police have stopped and harassed numerous persons in a similar fashion in the past. Tweets and reports abound on police officers extorting money from individuals around Festac, Ojo and Okokomaiko in Lagos.

“If you go to Second Rainbow and Ojo,” said Chihurumnanya, “you will see them in those small buses. Some of them don’t really have plate numbers, so you cannot trace them. But they are there and they have been doing this for some time now.”

Related Topics:Lagos police officers slaps Thespian

Up Next

Sallah: Muslim Faithful Lament High Cost Of Rams

Don't Miss

NBA Accuses Soldiers Of Raping Women In Cross River

metro

Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare

Published

8 hours ago

February 21, 2026

Trends Admin

Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare

Nigerian TikTok sensation and streamer, Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, has narrowly escaped injury following a generator fire incident at his residence.

The social media influencer disclosed the incident on Saturday via his verified Instagram page, where he shared a video capturing the early-morning blaze. In the footage, flames could be seen engulfing his generator as Peller, visibly shaken, cried out for help while neighbors and occupants rushed to contain the fire.

After sustained efforts using buckets of water, the fire was eventually brought under control. The generator was completely destroyed, but the building itself and everyone inside the house were spared, preventing what could have escalated into a major tragedy.

Shortly after the incident, fans and followers flooded his comment section with messages of relief and gratitude, praising the swift response that prevented loss of life or further property damage. The video also circulated widely across other social media platforms, where viewers raised concerns about generator safety, ventilation, and fire preparedness in residential areas.

READ ALSO:

As of the time of filing this report, the exact cause of the fire had not been independently confirmed, though preliminary reactions online speculated about possible fuel-related or electrical issues.

Earlier Lekki–Epe Expressway Incident

The generator fire comes months after Peller survived a separate and highly publicized scare along the Lekki–Epe Expressway.

During that earlier episode, which unfolded during a widely shared livestream, the influencer was seen driving while emotionally distressed. The broadcast, titled “RIP Peller,” sparked widespread concern after he made a series of alarming remarks that unsettled viewers.

At the time, Peller appeared agitated during a phone conversation believed to involve his girlfriend, amid online speculation about personal relationship challenges. The livestream ended abruptly after the vehicle was involved in a crash, though Peller later confirmed he survived the incident.

The back-to-back scares have renewed conversations among fans and industry observers about mental health awareness, content moderation during livestreams, and personal safety, particularly for young influencers who share real-time experiences with large audiences.

Despite the incidents, Peller has continued to engage his followers and has expressed appreciation for the overwhelming support he has received.

Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare

metro

Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage

Published

8 hours ago

February 21, 2026

Trends Admin

Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage

An Abuja-based church has expelled a newly married woman, Oyiza, after she allegedly refused to consummate her marriage with her husband, Isaac—an action that has sparked widespread debate over marital consent, religious authority, and women’s rights in Nigeria.

The couple, who were living in Ibadan, got married on September 6, 2025, following the completion of their traditional marriage rites in Okene and a court wedding in Ibadan. Oyiza is originally from Kogi State.

According to accounts presented by the husband and church officials, marital tensions began shortly after the wedding, with Oyiza reportedly declining all attempts at intimacy. She allegedly told her husband she did not love him and later accused her mother of pressuring her into the marriage.

Family members and church leaders reportedly intervened multiple times over several months in an attempt to resolve the matter. Despite repeated marriage counselling sessions, the woman was said to have maintained her position, insisting she was emotionally unprepared for the union.

Isaac claimed that prior to the wedding, Oyiza had expressed doubts about proceeding with the marriage but later reassured him and the church’s marriage committee that she was ready, leading to approval of the wedding plans.

Photos from the ceremony, later circulated on social media, showed Oyiza appearing cheerful among friends and church members. However, Isaac said the marriage quickly deteriorated after the wedding, describing the relationship as emotionally exhausting and restrictive.

READ ALSO:

In February 2026, the controversy escalated after the church released a video on its YouTube channel announcing Oyiza’s expulsion and excommunication. The church’s International Director stated that five months of mediation had failed.

During the announcement, the cleric used strong and controversial language, accusing Oyiza of spiritual misconduct and urging members to pray against her, claiming she had disgraced the church. He also referenced traditional cultural practices, suggesting that emotional readiness should not prevent marital obligations—remarks that triggered intense backlash online.

The cleric further claimed that his wife received a spiritual revelation alleging that Oyiza was under a supernatural covenant preventing marital relations. These claims were made publicly but remain unverified.

Oyiza was not present during the announcement, and efforts to obtain her response have been unsuccessful.

The incident has since generated nationwide reactions, with many Nigerians, legal commentators, and rights advocates arguing that consent within marriage is non-negotiable and that religious institutions should not compel intimacy or publicly shame individuals over private marital disputes.

The case has reignited conversations around:

Forced marriage and family pressure
Consent and bodily autonomy
Limits of church authority in private relationships
Mental health and dignity of women

As of the time of reporting, the church has not released any further statement addressing the public criticism.

Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage

metro

Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom

Published

14 hours ago

February 21, 2026

Trends Admin

Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom

Prince Emmanuel Umoh, the resident pastor of Living Faith Church Chapel, Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon Branch in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has been sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord, Gabriel Bassey, a 500‑level civil engineering student at the University of Uyo.

Umoh was found guilty by Justice Gabriel Ette of the Akwa Ibom State High Court after evidence showed he fatally stabbed Bassey on December 21, 2020, inside the estate in Ifa Ikot Ubo, a community in Uyo Local Government Area. The judgment was delivered following a trial that lasted more than five years.

The prosecution established that Bassey had moved into his late mother’s property in Ifa Ikot Ubo to secure the family estate and be closer to school. The property previously housed a nursery school his mother built before her death in December 2019.

Court records show that part of the estate — a hall connected to a two‑bedroom apartment occupied by Bassey and his younger brother, Emmanuel Bassey — was leased to Living Faith Church for worship and community use at an annual rent of ₦150,000, with permission from Bassey’s father, Emana Bassey, a retired principal. The church began using the hall before the full rent was paid.

Umoh, who was later appointed the chapel’s first resident pastor, was given a spare key to the deceased’s apartment to allow access to church property stored inside. Evidence presented in court revealed that after this arrangement, personal items belonging to the deceased’s late mother — including clothing, dishes and valuables — began to go missing.

READ ALSO:

The father, Mr. Emana Bassey, testified that he initially approved the spare key arrangement. However, when items started disappearing, he instructed his son to return the key. The defendant claimed he had lost the key, prompting concerns over security. The church’s senior pastor, Owoidoho Akpan, who testified for the defence, gave the Bassey family ₦5,000 to replace the locks. After the locks were changed, no further items were reported missing, the court heard.

Additional tensions arose between Umoh and Bassey over the use of rent funds supposedly meant for hall renovations, with disagreements escalating in the weeks leading up to the murder.

On the day of the incident, neighbours observed Umoh entering the premises shortly before cries of “Jesus” were heard. Minutes later, he was seen wearing a blood‑stained white garment, claiming he had fallen while fixing a banner. Bassey was not seen alive again.

Five days later, on December 26, 2020, Bassey’s decomposing body was found in his room, wrapped in a mat with multiple stab wounds and a butcher’s knife beside him. Forensic evidence and witness testimony linked Umoh to the crime, with bloodstains on his clothing and the fact that he was the last person seen with the deceased.

Umoh was arraigned on December 6, 2021, on a single count of murder. He pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution called six witnesses, including members of the Bassey family and church officials, to support its case.

In his lengthy judgment, Justice Ette described the crime as deeply troubling and a betrayal of trust, particularly because it was committed by a religious leader on church grounds.

“Life is sacred, and those who represent God on earth should teach that. It is an irony and quite appalling when a man who claims to be the representative of the divine on earth stoops so low as to denigrate the very essence of his calling and take someone’s life on the premises of the church,” the judge said.

He added that individuals who violate public trust in this way threaten society and must be punished in accordance with the law.

Having found the defendant guilty beyond reasonable doubt, the court pronounced sentence:

“I hereby sentence you to death by hanging.”

The conviction brings to an end nearly six years of legal proceedings and underscores the rule of law in Akwa Ibom State, even when the accused holds a position of religious leadership.