The police arrested Azubike alongside Chibuzor Ani, 57;
Martins Nwaodika, 65; and Ikechukwu Franklin Nnadi, 41; on Saturday.

The command said the suspects had planned to unveil a
prototype of a N1.5 billion ‘Palace of Obi of Lagos State’ on September 13, in
the Amuwo Odofin area of the state.

In a statement on Friday, Babaseyi Oluseyi, spokesperson of
the Lagos police command, said preliminary investigations showed that Azubike
is not a qualified engineer as he had claimed but a supplier of construction materials.

He added that the so-called palace unveiling was a scheme to
defraud unsuspecting individuals under the guise of a grand chieftaincy
project.

The statement also relayed that Azubike acted alone without
any legitimate chieftaincy backing.

“Investigation so far revealed that the principal suspect,
Engr. Chibuike Azubike, later confessed to the Police that he is not a
qualified engineer but merely a supplier of construction materials to
construction companies, which formed the basis upon which he has been parading
himself as an engineer,” the statement reads.

“Further findings revealed that the planned unveiling of the
‘Obi of Lagos Palace’ was fraudulently designed as a ploy to swindle
unsuspecting personalities and other Nigerians of their hard-earned money under
the guise of the ‘…unveiling of the prototype of a ₦1.5 BILLION PALACE of Obi
of Lagos State’.

“It was also established that the principal suspect acted
alone, without the backing or recognition of any legitimate chieftaincy
authority.”

The police implored Lagos residents to disregard Azubike’s
claims and social media posts.

Olohundare Jimoh, commissioner of police in Lagos, urged the
public to be vigilant against fraudsters and assured that all suspects will
face prosecution once investigations are concluded.