The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed five inspectors and arrested three serving officers over alleged involvement in armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion and official corruption in Rivers State and neighbouring states.
Force Public Relations Officer Anthony Okon Placid disclosed this in Port Harcourt, saying investigations uncovered criminal networks of serving and dismissed officers running illegal stop-and-search and extortion syndicates.
In the first case, six officers from Zone 16 Headquarters, Yenagoa, were accused of abductions and extortion in Rivers. The case followed a 3 February 2026 complaint by Festus Saturday, who said he and his cousin were intercepted along Igbo Etche Road by armed policemen in a Toyota Sienna.
Placid said the officers assaulted the victims, forced them to unlock their phones, and accessed banking and cryptocurrency apps before abducting them.
They allegedly transferred ₦4.5 million from the complainant’s OPay account and withdrew $1,742 from his crypto wallet, totalling about ₦7.3 million. The officers were said to operate with AK-47 rifles and had carried out similar operations against other victims.
Inspectors Ayanniyi Jelili, Durojaye Francis and Olayemi Titus were arrested. Awele Ogbogu, Prosper Aghotor and Corporal Favour Onwuchekwa remain at large.
Police said three Toyota Sienna buses and ₦7.3 million believed to be proceeds of the crimes were recovered. The arrested officers are undergoing orderly room trials and will be charged to court.
In a separate case, five officers from the Department of Operations Patrol Team, Rivers Command, were dismissed after investigations linked them to kidnapping, robbery, stealing and extortion. The probe began after petitions to the AIG Zone 16 by the Behind Bars Human Rights Foundation.
Victims included Felix Favour, who allegedly lost over ₦3.6 million; Okparaocha David Ugochukwu, whose cash and valuables worth over ₦7.3 million were reportedly stolen; and John Godstime, whose account was allegedly emptied of ₦1.5 million.
The dismissed officers are Inspectors John Okoi, Eyibo Asuquo, Udo Ndipmong, Bright Nwachukwu and Anele Ikechukwu. Police said their case file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for prosecution within 30 days.
The command said it remains committed to accountability and warned that misconduct and criminal conduct by personnel would not be tolerated under Inspector-General Olatunji Rilwan Disu.
