Lagos State Police Command has disclosed that a 65-year-old man, Chibuike Azubike, recently arrested in the state, confessed to orchestrating a fraudulent scheme under the guise of installing himself as the “Obi of Lagos.”
According to the police, Azubike admitted during interrogation that the entire plan, including the unveiling of a fictitious N1.5 billion “Palace of the Obi of Lagos”, was fabricated to deceive unsuspecting members of the public and extort money from them.
In a statement issued by the command’s Deputy Public Relations Officer, Babaseyi Oluseyi, the suspect revealed that the purported coronation, billed for Saturday, September 13, 2025, at Apple Hall in the Amuwo Odofin area, was never legitimate but rather a carefully staged scam designed to attract guests, investors, and donations.
“The suspect confessed that the installation ceremony was a ruse meant to lend credibility to a scam. He admitted he has no traditional claim to the title of ‘Obi of Lagos.’ His ultimate aim was to swindle attendees of money,” Oluseyi said.
Police investigations also showed that Azubike, who also paraded himself as an engineer, had no such professional qualifications. He reportedly told detectives that he was only a construction material supplier.
DAILY POST reports that Azubike was arrested alongside three alleged accomplices while making preparations for the fake coronation.
According to the command, the bogus event was staged to mimic a genuine traditional installation ceremony, thereby giving the impression of authenticity to lure high-profile guests and potential financiers.
“There is no recognition or approval of Azubike’s claims by any traditional council or authority in Lagos. The so-called palace unveiling was simply a front for fraud,” Oluseyi added.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has since urged residents to be wary of people exploiting cultural heritage and traditional titles to perpetrate scams, warning that such fraudulent acts will be met with the full weight of the law.
