'Obi of Lagos'- man in red capThe Lagos state police command says Chibuike Azubike, whorecently declared himself the ‘Obi of Lagos’ and planned to unveil a N1.5billion palace, is not an engineer. The police arrested Azubike alongside Chibuzor Ani, 57;Martins Nwaodika, 65; and Ikechukwu Franklin Nnadi, 41; on Saturday. The command said the suspects had planned to unveil aprototype of a N1.5 billion ‘Palace of Obi of Lagos State’ on September 13, inthe Amuwo Odofin area of the state. In a statement on Friday, Babaseyi Oluseyi, spokesperson ofthe Lagos police command, said preliminary investigations showed that Azubikeis not a qualified engineer as he had claimed but a supplier of construction materials. He added that the so-called palace unveiling was a scheme todefraud unsuspecting individuals under the guise of a grand chieftaincyproject. The statement also relayed that Azubike acted alone withoutany legitimate chieftaincy backing. “Investigation so far revealed that the principal suspect,Engr. Chibuike Azubike, later confessed to the Police that he is not aqualified engineer but merely a supplier of construction materials toconstruction companies, which formed the basis upon which he has been paradinghimself as an engineer,” the statement reads. “Further findings revealed that the planned unveiling of the‘Obi of Lagos Palace’ was fraudulently designed as a ploy to swindleunsuspecting personalities and other Nigerians of their hard-earned money underthe guise of the ‘...unveiling of the prototype of a ₦1.5 BILLION PALACE of Obiof Lagos State’. “It was also established that the principal suspect actedalone, without the backing or recognition of any legitimate chieftaincyauthority.” The police implored Lagos residents to disregard Azubike’sclaims and social media posts. Olohundare Jimoh, commissioner of police in Lagos, urged thepublic to be vigilant against fraudsters and assured that all suspects willface prosecution once investigations are concluded.
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