Phones Stolen During Service of Songs for Late Nollywood Star Alex Ekubo

What should have been an evening of collective grief and remembrance was marred by an act of brazen theft, as more than five mobile phones were stolen during the service of songs held in honour of the late Nollywood actor Alex Ekubo, who died last month at the age of 40.

Stan Nze, the popular Nigerian actor who served as master of ceremonies at the memorial, revealed the theft in a candid social media post that has since sparked a broader conversation about decency and moral responsibility in public life. “I hosted my dear friend’s service of songs last night, and it was one of the hardest things to do,” Nze wrote. “But at that service of songs, over five phones went missing. I’m saying five phones because I don’t want to exaggerate. At least, I know two people who lost their phones personally.”

The theft reportedly prompted organisers to block the venue’s exits temporarily in an effort to recover the missing devices. Among those who reported stolen phones were fellow Nollywood actresses Bam Bam and Susan Peters, underscoring the scale of the incident at what was meant to be a solemn gathering.

Nze did not hold back in expressing his dismay. “How can you come to a place where people are mourning and steal from them?” he asked, before turning his criticism toward what he described as a broader erosion of conscience in Nigerian society. “Plenty of times, we complain about the government and how Nigeria is not working, the killings and the insurgency, which is very, very true. What has happened to our conscience as a people? We are not kind people. We are not kind with people’s health, not with money, not with sympathy.”

The actor framed the incident as emblematic of a deeper societal malaise, one that cannot be remedied by policy alone. “This is a call to all Nigerians to start doing the right thing in our little circles,” he urged.

Alex Ekubo, one of Nollywood’s most recognisable faces, passed away in May 2026, sending shockwaves through the Nigerian entertainment industry. His service of songs was attended by a wide cross-section of colleagues, friends, and admirers, making the theft all the more striking.

The incident raises uncomfortable questions about security at large memorial gatherings, particularly in a country where petty crime at public events is not uncommon. Event organisers across Nigeria have long grappled with balancing open access for mourners with the need to safeguard personal belongings, and this latest episode is likely to intensify calls for tighter measures at such occasions.

For Nze, however, the matter transcends logistics. His public call for a return to basic human decency struck a chord with millions of Nigerians who, in the wake of the actor’s death and the theft that followed it, find themselves confronting difficult questions about community, trust, and the state of the national character.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE