The Lagos State Police Command has arrested six suspected members of a syndicate allegedly involved in the diversion of imported goods from the Apapa Port, with the gang linked to goods worth over N20 billion. The suspects, including two multimillionaires, Jamiu Lateef and Abubakar Amadu, were arrested by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit following complaints by importers who raised the alarm over missing consignments.
According to the police, the suspects - Lateef Jamiu, Abubakar Amadu, Aliu Olanshile, Opeyemi Oyewale, Hassana Malami, and Hassana Haruna - are members of one of the two most notorious goods diversion syndicates operating in Nigeria. The syndicate is allegedly responsible for the diversion of goods worth over N20 billion in the last 19 years of its operations. In its latest operation, the gang allegedly diverted goods, including forklifts, fabrics, and imported plates, valued at about N3 billion.
The two suspected kingpins, Jamiu Lateef and Abubakar Amadu, reportedly own multiple trailers used for transportation business and are said to be on the wanted lists of several police formations and commands across the country. They were reportedly released from prison earlier this year after being arrested and prosecuted for goods diversion. A police source revealed that the syndicate members usually operate around the ports in Lagos, where they look for people in need of transportation services to move their imported goods.
The source disclosed that the syndicate members join WhatsApp platforms of different transporters and transportation companies at the port, where transportation needs are advertised. Once they get the offer, they disappear with the goods and erase every trace to their whereabouts by changing their phones and SIM cards. The source said 11 mobile phones and eight SIM cards were recovered from Abubakar when he was arrested, adding that he had earlier been arrested in 2023 with 49 phones and 188 SIM cards.
One of the alleged leaders, Jamiu, reportedly confessed during interrogation that the gang collected the goods from the port but diverted them to Ojota, Lagos, where they were offloaded and sold to their receivers. Jamiu, an indigene of Ibadan, Oyo State, whose wife and children reside overseas, also reportedly confessed that he shuttled between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, where some of his investments are located.
The other alleged leader, 45-year-old Abubakar Amadu, reportedly told police interrogators that he started diverting goods with Jamiu about 19 years ago after they met while working as truck drivers for their former employers. He also reportedly confessed that some of his investments were located in Niger Republic, where he allegedly fled after successful operations in Nigeria. The police team traced some of the diverted fabrics to a market in Agege, Lagos, where they were identified by the importer.
The Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, described the arrest as a “big achievement” by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit. She said investigation was ongoing, with a view to arresting other members of the syndicate and recovering some of the goods allegedly diverted during their previous operations.
Key points
- The suspects are linked to goods worth over N20 billion diverted from the Apapa Port.
- Two of the suspects, Jamiu Lateef and Abubakar Amadu, are multimillionaires with investments in Niger Republic and Republic of Benin.
- The syndicate allegedly diverted goods worth N3 billion in its latest operation.
