Probe of four policemen involved in kidnapping, extortion of ₦30m ongoing – NPF
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, has said that the law enforcement was “making headway” in the case of alleged kidnapping and extortion by four policemen in Abuja.
TheCornet gathered that the policemen, in cahoots, with two Point of Sale operators fleeced a citizen, Prince Edechie Odini of a whopping sum of ₦29.9million.
“We are making a headway on this matter, and justice will be served, as some suspects have been arrested,” Adejobi said on his official X handle.
Background story
A whistleblower, Harrison Gwamishu, had exposed the incident on social media. Gwamishu is also a politician and had contested, under the Labour Party for the Delta House of Assembly in 2023.
On 25th January, Gwamishu alerted that the four policemen, dressed in mufti, intercepted one Prince Edechie Odini while driving to his construction site.
He said that the police officers were traveling in an unmarked bus, and after stopping Odini led him to an unknown destination.
While at the place, the police officers ordered Odini at gunpoint to transfer his bank account balance to different bank accounts they provided to him.
“The police Authorities are aware the victim did nothing to them, he was not wanted by anyone. He only stopped at their checkpoint and while searching his phone, they saw his balance and that was how they drove him to unknown location and wiped out all his savings,” Gwamishu stated.
Gwamishu said Odini transferred a total of ₦29.9million to the various bank accounts before the officers, who held him in false imprisonment and without a warrant, released him.
While the Police Force has failed to name the officers involved in the incident, the whistleblower
Gwamishu named their female accomplices (the PoS operators) as Ajayi Grace Opeyemi and Lizzy Amos. In addition, Gwamishu said that for her role, Amos was promised a cut of ₦1.8million.
In his update on the matter, Gwamishu seemed incredulous of Force spokesperson Adejobi’s statement that “some suspects” were arrested. Gwamishu said only the driver of the vehicle the police rode in at the time of the alleged crime and one PoS operator had so far been arrested.
He said: “Till this very moment, aside the POS woman and the police driver arrested and detained over N30,300,000 robbery. The other four police officers involved have been in hideout (sic). They switched off their phones.”
“Can’t this officers be declared wanted? Since they can’t track them down. The @PoliceNG have their records and declaring them wanted for Kidnapping and Robbery will help the public identify and bring them to book,” Gwamishu added.
