Police Arraign 2 Men Over Alleged N63.7m Container Sale Fraud

IGP Rilwan Olatunji Disu

Two men, Danladi Lawal and Lawan Salihu Auwal, have been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court over allegations of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, and stealing involving the sum of N63.7 million.

The prosecutor, Barrister Barrister Morufu Ajani Animashaun, a legal officer of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, told the court that the two defendants allegedly committed the offences sometime in October 2025 at Daramola Street, Tin Can Port Authority, Lagos.

The prosecutor said the two defenders conspied among themselves to commit a felony by fraudulently obtaining money from one Hussein Yunisa Dauda through a purported container sale transaction. 

The prosecutor had told the court that the complainant allegedly transferred the money to the defendants in the belief that he was purchasing loaded shipping containers. But said the containers did not exist and that the transaction was merely a scheme to defraud the buyer.

The alleged crimes of the two defendants according to the prosecutor, are contrary to is said to be contrary to Sections 411; 314(1)(a) and 280(1)(b) and punishable under section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Meanwhile, the two defendants have denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Based on their not guilty plea, the prosecutor prayed the court to remand them pending the conclusion of the charge. But their lawyer, A. O. Oyeleke, informed the court that he has filed his clients’ bail application and same have been served on the prosecutor.

Oyeleke therefore pleaded with the court to admit his clients to bail in the most liberal terms, as the charges against them are bailable ones.

Ruling on the bail application, Chief Magistrate A. A. Adesanya granted bail to each of the two defendants in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum.

The Chief Magistrate also ordered each of the sureties to provide evidence of three years tax payment, means of livelihood, payment of utilities bills among others.

The matter has been adjourned to July 24, 2026, for mention.

Charges against the two defendants read: “That you, DANLADI LAWAL (M) and LAWAN SALIHU AUWAL, sometime in the month of October 2025, at Daramola Street, Tin Can Port Authority, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, conspired together to commit a felony, to wit: Obtaining Money by False Pretence and Stealing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Law, Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015. 

“That you, Danladi Lawal (M) and Lawan Salihu Auwal, sometimes in October, 2025, at Daramola Street, Tin Can Port Authority, Lagos within the Magisterial District, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N63,700,000.00 (Sixty-Three Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) only, property of one HUSSEIN YUNISA DAUDA, under the false pretence that you had 20ft and 40ft loaded containers for sale, a representation you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 314(1)(a) of the Criminal Law, Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015. 

“That you, Danladi Lawal (M) and Lawan Salihu Auwal, sometimes in October, 2025, at Daramola Street, Tin Can Port Authority, Lagos within the Magisterial District, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N63, 700, 000. 00 (Sixty-Three Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) only, property of one HUSSEIN YUNISA DAUDA, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 280(1)(b) and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law, Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.”