News
Lagos Police DPO Loses Pistol in Office Sex Romp, Redeployed As Lady Suspect is Released
Jennifer Madueke, the 29-year-old woman arrested over the missing pistol of a Lagos Divisional Police Officer, CSP Adegoke Atilade, has been released.
The police also removed Atilade as the DPO of the Denton Police Station, Ebute Meta.
PUNCH Metro had exclusively reported that the police officer and Madueke were in a romantic relationship before Atilade was transferred out of Lagos seven years ago.
The former love birds met recently and exchanged phone numbers.
On Friday, August 27, the officer allegedly invited the woman to his office, where they allegedly made love.
A week later, Atilade arrested her and accused her of stealing his service pistol.
The officer, who denied sleeping with her, said he only assisted her to pass the night at the police station after she claimed to have been stranded.
He insisted that she took his pistol.
The suspect was detained at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, where she was held for three days.
A source close to Madueke said the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCIID, DCP Adegoke Fayoade, contacted Madueke’s relative to come for her bail after receiving a call from our correspondent on the matter.
The source said, “After the DCP discovered that the press had been involved, he called the girl’s family member to come for her bail. That was how she was released on Thursday when you called him.”
Another source said the DCP attempted to cover up for Atilade due to their ties, adding that they hailed from the same Ila area in Osun State.
“They also bear the same surname. He was trying to cover for him when PUNCH blew up the case,” the source added.
But an officer denied the culpability of the SCIID boss, saying he was a professional who would not allow parochial sentiments to stop him from doing his job.
“The DCP is a fantastic and highly credible officer. He will never demand money or returns from his men. Petitions or complaints don’t last more than two days on his table. In fact, he has reformed Panti.
“But this case, I believe he could not do anything because he knows only the Inspector-General of Police and the Police Service Commission can take action against the DPO,” the officer added.
Fayoade also denied covering up for the senior cop, saying they did not share surname or hail from the same community.
He said, “We only share the same first name; I don’t condone indiscipline.”
A relative of Madueke confirmed to our correspondent that she had been released, but said had been asked to report at the Denton Police Station.
The family member said he could not tell the reason for the fresh invitation.
Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Adebutu, in a statement, said Atilade had been removed and redeployed.
The statement said, “This is to inform the general public that the Lagos State Police Command is not oblivious of the reported case of theft of service pistol against one Jenifer Madueke and the allegation of sex in the office against the DPO, Denton Police Division, CSP Adegoke Atilade, as published on pages 4 and 5 of today’s edition of The PUNCH.
“In the interest of fairness and justice, the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered an independent, thorough and unbiased investigation into the case.
“Members of the public are hereby assured that appropriate actions will be taken against anyone found culpable at the conclusion of the ongoing investigation such that at the end, justice would have been served.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police has directed the immediate redeployment of the officer in the eye of the storm so as to pave way for diligent and unbiased investigation.”
A resident in the Ebute Meta area confirmed that a new DPO, Segun Abifarin, replaced Atilade.
The Punch
News
EFCC Arraigns Blessing CEO over Alleged N36m Fraud
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned social media personality and self-acclaimed relationship adviser, Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged N36 million fraud.
Blessing CEO was arraigned on Friday before Justice D.I. Dipeolu on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and alleged theft involving N36 million
According to the EFCC, the defendant allegedly obtained the money from one Mrs. Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye under the pretext of securing a six-bedroom duplex in Lekki, Lagos — a claim prosecutors said she knew to be false.
During proceedings, defence counsel P.I. Nwafor informed the court that the defendant had refunded N24 million to the complainant and requested a short adjournment to allow discussions over the outstanding balance.
“We have an application to make. The defendant approached the nominal complainant and refunded N24 million out of the N36 million.
“We are asking for a short adjournment to resolve the outstanding balance. The nominal complainant agreed that if the balance is paid, they can prevail on the EFCC to drop the case,” the lawyer said.
However, prosecution counsel S.I. Suleiman opposed the request, insisting that the commission was not involved in any private settlement arrangement.
“The complainant here is the Federal Government of Nigeria, and we are here for the arraignment. We urge that the defendant take her plea, as that is the business of the day,” he argued.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Dipeolu held that settlement talks could continue independently but would not stop the arraignment process.
“The defence and the nominal complainant can have discussions even during the pendency of the charge. It does not affect the proceedings before the court. The defendant will take her plea,” the judge ruled.
One of the charges alleged that between July 14 and 17, 2024, Blessing CEO fraudulently obtained N36 million from the complainant over a purported property lease in Lekki.
Another count accused her of unlawfully converting the money to personal use, contrary to provisions of the Criminal Code Act.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following her plea, the prosecution asked the court to commence trial and remand her in a correctional facility, while the defence requested that she remain in EFCC custody pending bail arrangements.
Justice Dipeolu subsequently ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody and adjourned the matter to June 5, 2026, for commencement of trial.
News
Tinubu Almost Sacked Me Because of Desmond Elliot, Says Gbajabiamila
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has narrated how his principal almost sacked him because of Lagos State House of Assembly member, Desmond Elliot.
He said he almost lost his job during the Lagos Speaker Mudashiru Obasa impeachment saga.
Recall that lawmakers of the Lagos State House of Assembly had said that Obasa was impeached to save the integrity and sanctity of the House of Assembly and Lagos State.
The lawmakers, while jointly addressing journalists at the Assembly Complex, said: “It’s just a change of baton. It is only death that is constant, so change is inevitable.”
However, with President Tinubu against the impeachment, the Speaker was restored and peace returned to the Assembly.
Addressing members of the All Progressives Congress on Thursday, Gbajabiamila said, “I almost lost my job as Chief of Staff last year because of Desmond Elliot. Mr President called me to his house in Abuja during the Lagos Speaker Obasa saga.
“He said, ‘I hear this Desmond is your boy, the one we gave you,’ and I said, ‘Yes, sir. He is one of the people causing problems in the Lagos House of Assembly.’
“Immediately, I told the president that Desmond wasn’t part of them, but the president replied and said that, from the intelligence he received, Desmond was part of them.
“After that meeting, I called Desmond and told him what the president said, and asked him to leave the group if he was part of them. Three days later, the DSS DG called me and said there was a problem.
“He said your name is being mentioned, that you’re the one behind the impeachment saga and that you’re supporting Desmond.
“I spoke to the DSS DG and told him I had spoken to Desmond and he denied being part of the group. I then asked Desmond to make a public statement denying his involvement in the impeachment saga, but till today, he hasn’t done it.”
Education
2026 CB-WASSEC Kicks Off As WAEC Decries Decline in Male Participation
By Eric Elezuo
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has announced the kickoff of the 2026 West African Second-term School Certificate Examination, saying it would be computer-based, and decrying the decline of male participation as against their female counterparts.
The Council made the disclosure on Monday, while addressing the media at its National Office in Yaba, Lagos, on steps so far taken to ensure a hitchfree 2026 Examination.
In his address, the Head of National Office, Mr. Jacob Josiah Dangut, remarked that the 2026 computer-based WASSEC, started on April 21, 2026 with practical test papers, stressing that the nitty gritty parts of the exercise will kick off on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, therefore the reason for the sensitization of the Nigerian public on the exams.
He noted that nearly two million candidates registered to sit for the examinations.
In his words, “A total of 1,959,636 candidates from 24,207 schools enrolled for the examination.
“Of this number, 958,564 candidates (48.92%) are male, while 1,001,072 candidates (51.08%) are female. This reflects an increase in female participation and a decline in male participation compared to last year.”
Dangut called on policy formulations to take the matter serious so as to reinvent the urge for education among the malefolks.

Meanwhile, Dangut informed the public that candidates are being tested in 37 subjects across 97 papers, supervised by about 29,000 senior secondary teachers nominated by state ministries of education.
Dangut said the rise in computer-based entries followed the successful debut of the format in 2025, with more schools and offshore institutions adopting it for its efficiency and alignment with global standards.
The 2026 exercise will run through to June 19th.






