A 22-year-old woman, Miss Onyekachi Mmerichukwu, and a nurse have been remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre over allegations of obtaining N16.17m by false pretence through a pregnancy scam and procuring an illegal abortion in Lagos.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Annex, Lagos, Simeon Akpanudom, made this known while addressing newsmen on Thursday.
He said the case was being investigated following a petition submitted by one Mr Olajide, who accused Mmerichukwu, said to be his fiancée, of deceiving him into believing she was pregnant and collecting huge sums of money from him for pregnancy-related expenses.
According to him, the suspect allegedly obtained a total of N16,170,000 from the complainant under the guise of antenatal care, medical treatment, and other expenses associated with the purported pregnancy.
He said discreet investigations led to the arrest of Mmerichukwu and a nurse attached to a private medical facility.
He said, “The petitioner alleged that the suspect falsely represented to him that she was pregnant and subsequently obtained various sums of money from him under the guise of antenatal care, medical treatment, and other pregnancy-related expenses.
“The total amount allegedly obtained during the period under review is 16,170,000.00. Discreet investigation led to the arrest of the accused person and a nurse attached to a private medical facility.”
According to him, findings revealed that the pregnancy was later terminated at a hospital in the Ajah area of Lagos.
Akpanudom added that the procedure was allegedly carried out for personal reasons rather than medical necessity.
He further disclosed that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the medical director of the hospital, who was alleged to have played a role in the abortion.
“The two suspects have been remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre while the investigation is ongoing to arrest the medical director of the suspect hospital, who admittedly procured the illegal abortion in conjunction with the nurse,” he added.
Speaking on efforts to strengthen investigations at the FCID Annex, Lagos, Akpanudom said upon assuming office on March 30, 2026, he prioritised improving the investigative capacity of personnel through training, infrastructure upgrades, and collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
“On assumption of duty on 30 March 2026 as the Assistant Inspector General of Police, I committed to improving the investigative capacity of personnel through training, infrastructural upgrade, and robust collaboration with relevant stakeholders for enhanced service delivery and winning the hearts and minds of members of the public and eliciting their trust,” he said.
The AIG disclosed that the command had intensified capacity-building programmes for detectives and investigators.
According to him, 30 detectives were recently trained on crypto tracing analysis and investigation in collaboration with the United States Diplomatic Security Services, Regional Security Office and Internal Revenue Service through the US Consulate General in Lagos.
He added that six personnel also benefited from training sponsored by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund on enhancing professional capacity, ethical standards and inter-agency collaboration for effective operations, while more officers had been nominated for various training programmes approved by the Inspector-General of Police.
The police chief further revealed that several infrastructure projects were ongoing at the Annex, including the construction of a sentry slab and photo stand, installation of solar-powered lighting, office signage and the renovation of holding cells.
The AIG also disclosed the arrest of three suspected vandals allegedly involved in the destruction of telecommunication installations and other critical infrastructure across Lagos.
According to Akpanudom, the operation led to the arrest of 46-year-old Ezekiel Omoloye, 44-year-old Olaoluwa Shuwunmi, and 41-year-old Olaleye Kehinde.
He said exhibits recovered from the suspects included a locally made pistol, one live cartridge, a Deep Sea electronic memory device, four Riyar solar batteries, six solar modules, a cable cutter, a large wrench, a large iron cutter, two bundles of rope, a tricycle with registration number FST 552 QQ, a Bajaj tricycle with registration number KNN 528 (Ogun State), an ash-coloured Toyota Camry with registration number LSD 576 CL, and a Toyota Sienna bus with registration number LSS 599 JN.
