KEY POINTS
- Officers made away with ₦43.16 million out of aggregate cash seizure of ₦74.9 million.
- Forensic intelligence exposed their misconduct, leading to their suspension and prosecution.
- The IGP also reiterated his pledge to rid corruption in the force and regain public confidence in police.
Four officers of the Nigeria Police Force were, on Wednesday, found guilty of attempting to steal ₦43.16 million from a total of ₦74.9 million seized during a controversial operation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on August 26, 2023.
Forensic intelligence revealed the incident as evidence of serious misbehaviour by police charged with enforcing the law.
Police misconduct uncovered
ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, explained the situation after the allegations of currency smuggling and an attempt to smear the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
Officers from Zone 7 Headquarters, including DSP Peter Ejike and Insp. Ekende Edwin, Insp. Esther Okafor and Sgt. Talabi Kayode, illegally detained Andrew Ejah, an employee of FATFAD Cargo Nigeria Limited, ACP Adejobi said.
But the officers recovered ₦31.79 million, and later investigations showed that they had also hidden ₦43.16 million.
A trail of misconduct and greed
The officers had fabricated evidence and tampered with exhibits in covering up their actions during investigations, the team said.
The photographs and also key documentation at the point of arrest were deliberately withheld on flimsy claims that the mobile phones of police officers got damaged or lost.
They then conspired to relocate unaccounted cash from Abuja for safe keeping, while sharing the recovered money among themselves in order to keep off further investigations, ACP Adejobi confirmed.
Adejobi said: ‘Their greed and criminal conduct is being met with decisive action.’ “They are suspended and will be prosecuted for abuse of office, tampering with exhibits, corrupt practices and professional misconduct.”
Accountability of IGP
Also, the IGP has stressed his resolve to flushing out unprofessional elements in the police. The Force [of Internal Affairs] condemned as absurd the attempts to politicize the incident and protect currency smuggling cartel, saying the allegations are groundless and aimed at undermining public trust.
The circulation of the false narrative is a distraction. ‘We will continue to prosecute the officers and ensure such misconduct will not happen again,’ ACP Adejobi added.
