The Nigeria Police Force, Special Fraud Unit (SFU) at 13 Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, has launched a manhunt for a clearing agent, Chief Lawrence Uba, over alleged fraud involving ₦10 million.
Eze Sylvanus Chukwuemeka Onuoha, the Ezendigbo of Iba and Chairman of Oman Logistics Limited, was allegedly swindled by Chief Uba under false pretences. The suspect reportedly collected the money and went into hiding.
As part of the investigations, the Police arrested his surety, Tochukwu Okafor, and arraigned him before an Igbosere Magistrate Court. He was remanded in a correctional center for failing to produce Chief Uba, who is now at large.
The investigations began following a petition dated March 2, 2026, filed by Okorie & Co. Law Chambers, solicitors to the complainant. The petition was addressed to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Abuja.
It was forwarded to the Commissioner of Police, Special Fraud Unit, 13 Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, where it was received and marked for action on March 3, 2026.
According to the petition, the incident occurred on September 8, 2025. Chief Uba allegedly presented himself as having strong connections with senior officials of the Nigeria Customs Service, including an Assistant Comptroller.
The petitioner stated that Uba claimed he could facilitate the release and allocation of auctioned containers to interested buyers through his influence.
Relying on those representations, the complainant said he transferred ₦10,000,000 to Chief Uba on the same date to secure the auctioned containers. Evidence of payment into a First City Monument Bank account was attached to the petition.
The law firm further alleged that after receiving the money, Chief Uba failed to deliver any containers. All efforts to reach him or demand a refund have reportedly been unsuccessful.
Additional claims listed in the petition included ₦200,000 allegedly paid to an agent, ₦1,500,000 for warehouse fees, and monthly interest payments totaling over ₦3,000,000 within almost one year.
Attached to the petition were copies of relevant documents, including bank payment evidence and customs papers bearing container number PCIU8475738, said to have been scheduled for auction.
The solicitors are asking the Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to thoroughly investigate the matter, recover the funds, and prosecute the suspect in accordance with the law.
Court records show that the suspect was earlier arrested and granted administrative bail on the condition that he would produce the money. He later filed a Fundamental Human Rights suit at the High Court, but lost.
Since then, Chief Lawrence Uba has gone into hiding. This led the Police to arrest his surety, Tochukwu Nwabueze, and charged him before the court for failing to produce the defendant as he had undertaken.
When the one-count charge was read to him, he pleaded not guilty. Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Ayo Akpoju, asked the court for a date for hearing to enable the Police to prove the allegations.
The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. N.A. Oseni-Wahab, granted him bail in the sum of ₦200,000 with two sureties in like sum. The sureties are to provide evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment.
The matter was adjourned to August 13, 2026, while the defendant was remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Center pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
Legal experts say the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.