The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has suspended four officers for their involvement in the theft of ₦43.16 million from a total sum of ₦74.95 million recovered during an unauthorized arrest at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The officers, including DSP Peter Ejike, Inspector Ekende Edwin, Inspector Esther Okafor, and Sergeant Talabi Kayode, were attached to Zone 7 Headquarters and acted outside their mandate.
As gathered, the four officers, who were suspended one after the incident, face dismissal and prosecution for criminal conspiracy, theft, corruption, and professional misconduct.
Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the development to newsmen on Wednesday while reacting to allegations against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, of shielding a cartel accused of smuggling suspicious new banknotes from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
While assuring Nigerians of due process in bringing the culprits to justice, Adejobi narrated that the officers, led by Inspector Okafor under DSP Ejike’s directive, arrested Andrew Ejah, an employee of FATFAD Cargo Nigeria Limited, who was transporting the cash on behalf of clients.
The officers reported only ₦31.79 million as the recovered amount, concealing the remaining ₦43.16 million.
Aside from that, they also demanded a percentage of the funds from the suspect to suppress the case from getting to public notice.
Following a petition by the owners of the money, the case was escalated to the IGP Monitoring Unit. Investigations revealed that the officers conspired to steal part of the cash and attempted to hide their tracks by claiming technical issues with evidence and spreading false narratives.
“These officers, led by Inspector Esther Okafor on the instruction of DSP Peter Ejike, unlawfully arrested Andrew Ejah, an employee of FATFAD Cargo Nigeria Limited, who was conveying the cash sum of ₦74,950,000 on behalf of clients. Acting without authorization, they detained Mr. Ejah at the Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja, and deliberately misrepresented the recovered amount as ₦31,790,000. The officers further demanded a percentage of the funds to suppress the case.
“Upon being contacted by the alleged owners of the money, the officers claimed that the sum they had recovered from the arrested suspect was N31,790,000, and requested a percentage of the money to jeopardise investigation and suppress the case. Outraged by their actions, the money owners petitioned the Force Headquarters, Abuja and the matter was directed to the IGP Monitoring Unit for Investigation.
“During the process, the cash sum of N31,790,000 was recovered from the officers, who claimed that it was the total money recovered from Andrew Ejah during his arrest.
“After intense investigations and a series of trial before duly constituted disciplinary panels, it was discovered that the officers took photographs of the suspect and the sacks of monies at the point of arrest but claimed the phone they used was damaged and subsequently lost, in an attempt to conceal their misconduct. However, forensic intelligence showed that this group of officers conspired and stole part of the money, amounting to N43,160,000, and tasked one of them to move the cash out of the FCT for hiding pending when the heat blows over.
“They thereafter resorted to several tricks and gimmicks in order to cover their tracks. One of which is the spread of this false narrative and misinformation to several online blogs and newspaper platforms”.
He however dismissed allegations circulating in the media that Egbetokun was shielding a “cartel” smuggling suspicious banknotes, describing these claims as baseless and a diversionary tactic by mischief makers.
