A Lagos-based businessman, Hammed Tajudeen Akanbi, accused of involvement in the killing of Prince Ademola Akinloye and Sheriff Ishola Salami in separate incidents has been arrested in the Republic of Benin by operatives of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), after months on the run. The suspect, Hammed Tajudeen Akanbi,……
A Lagos-based businessman, Hammed Tajudeen Akanbi, accused of involvement in the killing of Prince Ademola Akinloye and Sheriff Ishola Salami in separate incidents has been arrested in the Republic of Benin by operatives of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), after months on the run.
The suspect, Hammed Tajudeen Akanbi, who was declared wanted by the police on February 19, was apprehended in Cotonou on April 15 and subsequently handed over to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, yesterday for continued investigation.
He is also accused of willful destruction of property and allegedly sponsoring armed attacks on Ajiran community, where Prince Akinloye was reportedly killed.
Addressing a press conference at the Zone 2 Headquarters in Onikan, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, said Akanbi, 38, was arrested in a hotel in Cotonou following sustained surveillance and coordinated efforts by INTERPOL.
According to him, the suspect had fled Nigeria shortly after being linked to a series of violent crimes in Lagos State.
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Jimoh said the arrest followed a directive from the Inspector-General of Police to reopen and conclude investigations into the killings and related violent incidents that had triggered tension in parts of Lagos.
“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 he was handed to us at Zone 2 command. Investigations will be concluded before he is charged to court,” said the AIG.
Jimoh explained that the case gained renewed attention after a fresh petition was submitted to the Inspector-General of Police, prompting discreet reinvestigation into violent incidents within the Ojomu community in Lagos.
He added that preliminary findings indicated that some previously arrested accomplices had confessed to carrying out the attacks on the suspect’s alleged instruction, while also linking him to the financing of the operations.
The AIG disclosed that Sheriff Ishola Salami was killed on April 18, 2023, while Prince Ademola Akinloye was murdered on August 26, 2024, both in the Eti-Osa axis of Lagos State in what authorities described as coordinated and premeditated attacks.
He noted that earlier investigations by former Commissioners of Police had made progress, but new intelligence further strengthened the suspect’s alleged role in the incidents.
Jimoh urged the public not to politicise the case, insisting that due process would be strictly followed.
“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.
He also appealed to victims or persons affected by the suspect’s alleged activities to come forward with useful information, noting that complaints relating to killings, property destruction, attempted murder, or financial losses could be submitted to his office, the AIG Special Operations, or Commissioners of Police in Lagos and Ogun States.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police, INTERPOL, Fidelis Ogarabe, confirmed that the arrest was achieved through international collaboration between Nigerian authorities and their Benin Republic counterparts.
He said intelligence indicated that the suspect had been hiding in Cotonou before a coordinated operation led to his arrest and transfer.
“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 continuation of investigation,” he said.
Ogarabe added that items recovered from the suspect, including travel documents, mobile phones, and a luxury vehicle, were already being examined as part of ongoing investigations.
