CWAY Sales Manager Soliu remanded in jail over N20.3M water scam

By Paul Iyoghojie

A sales manager with CWAY Water, Issa Solomon Soliu, 39, has been remanded in custody after allegedly defrauding 10 customers of N20.3 million in a fraudulent water supply scheme.

Trouble began when customers, who had paid substantial amounts for CWAY water deliveries, waited in vain as Soliu disappeared without fulfilling the orders.

Repeated calls to his phone went unanswered, prompting the victims to petition the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Adegoke Fayoade. Acting swiftly, the AIG directed a special team led by SP Chidi Okoye to track down the suspect.

The police launched an intensive search and eventually traced Soliu to a hideout in Lagos, where he was arrested and taken into custody.

Investigations revealed that he had allegedly collected various sums from his victims, including N910,000 from Mrs Titilayo Erogbogbo, N910,000 from Mrs Rashidat Akeso, N1,820,000 from Mrs Toy Anu Sanni, N910,000 from Hakeem Ogunlaja, and N1,115,000 from Mrs Folashade Oginni.

Others defrauded include Mrs Omowunmi Ibiwoye, who paid N135,000, Mrs Oluremilekun Ogunniyi, who lost N2,015,000, Mr Ezeorah Chukwuka, who paid N1,820,000, Mr Ademola Oyewole, who was scammed of N910,000, and Mrs Ajala Kehinde Omolara, who also paid N910,000.

Soliu was arraigned before the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, sitting at Tinubu, on 21 counts of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence, and stealing. Police prosecutor Rueben Solomon, standing in for ASP Haruna Ibrahim, told the court that the offences were committed in November 2024 at Ikorodu, Lagos. The case, marked P/21/2025, falls under Sections 411, 314(2), and 287(5)(a) of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, but Magistrate M.A. Wahab granted him N3 million bail with two sureties in like sum. Until his bail conditions are met, Soliu will remain at the Ikoyi Correctional Facility as the case continues.

With this arrest, authorities are sending a clear message to fraudsters as they intensify crackdowns on financial crimes in Lagos.