PEOPLES GAZETTE
The Edo State Police Command has identified and commenced the orderly room trial of two inspectors and a Deputy Superintendent of Police for allegedly extorting one Omobruno Igbadume of N380,000, who is a corps member.
In a statement on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Umoru Ozigi, on Wednesday, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, said that the money had been retrieved from the cops and returned to the victim.
It read, “Re: Police extortion The Edo Command, in response to a complaint on X formerly Twitter where some policemen extorted the complainant one Omobruno Igbadume of the sum of three hundred and eighty thousand (#380, 000), has identified the erring policemen as DSP Madaki Abdulwahab (Team Leader), Inspector Arikpo Vincent; and Inspector Oboh Sunday. The money has been recovered and returned to the owner. The DSP has been queried and the two inspectors of police are facing orderly room trial for their unprofessional conduct.’’
Stating that it frowned at the officers’ action, the command vowed to ensure they were punished to serve as a deterrent to other officers in the command, urging residents to report any incident of police corruption or misconduct.
The victim had on his X handle, on October 18, confirmed receiving the money, saying, “Thank you @YamuJoel @PoliceNG_CRU for handling the situation with care and speed. I have been fully refunded”
According to him, he was on his way for his National Youth Service Corps mobilisation when the errand officers held him at the Benin Expressway, and with the help of a Point of Sales attendant, emptied his account, after which they gave him N20,000 from the money to return home.
He wrote, “Police brutality! @PoliceNG @PoliceNG_CRU @Princemoye1 @BenHundeyin. As at today 17th October, 2024, I was held by the Nigerian Police at Agbede Road, Benin Expressway, Edo State and I was forcefully extorted of ₦380,000 by Mr Vincent Arikpo, Sunday and Madaki Abdulwahab. I can’t believe these people just literally emptied my account and put me in debt for nothing. They had to call a PoS attendant and forced me to transfer the money in my bank to them. They saw how stranded I was at the place and gave me ₦20,000 to go back to Auchi where I was coming from.
