Extortion/searching of phones: Seven police officers lose their jobs

Seven policemen have been dismissed by the Imo State Police Command over alleged extortion and checking of phones of a citizen at a bank in Umuahia, Abia State capital.

Report said the policemen were arrested on November 8, 2022 at 1.00 pm at a bank in Umuahia for illegal duty and extortion of an innocent citizen.

Persecondnews recalls that the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, on August 8, 2022, expressed disappointment with the report of brutality and extortion against some police officers.

The IGP subsequently overhauled the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), the Special Tactics Squad (STS), and the Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) Units to ensure that their operations are in tandem with the purpose for their creation and maximum effectiveness.

Commenting on the misconduct, the spokesman for the State Police Command, DSP Micheal Abattam said: “Sequel to the inundation of the office of the Commissioner of Police with series of reports/complaints by members of the public on police brutality, harassments, extortion, illegal checking of phones and flagrant disobedience to the Inspector-General of Police directives on extortion and incivility to members of the public, the Imo State Police Command has dismissed and charged to Court the following ex-policemen:

“F/No. 462315 Sgt. Ohakim Chibuzo, F/No. 505455 Sgt. From Finian, F/No. 505592 Sgt. George Osueke, F/No. 511966 Cpl. Kelechi Onuegbu, F/No. 512320 Cpl. Nagorno Isidore, F/No. 528165 PC Nwadike Stephen and F/No. 528156 PC Ihemtuge Plastidus for the offence of Discreditable Conduct, Corrupt Practices and Leaving Beat.

“It will be recalled, that the ex-policemen were arrested on 08/11/2022 at about 1300hrs, in a bank at Umuahia, Abia State, in the course of performing illegal duty outside their jurisdiction and conspiracy to extort money from an innocent victim.

“They were defaulted, tried and found guilty of the charges levelled against them, thus were summarily dismissed and charged to Magistrate Court, Owerri with Charge Sheet Number: No. OW/746C/2022.

“Consequently, the Commissioner of Police has directed all Area Commanders, Heads of Departments (HODs), Divisional Police Officers (DPO) and Tactical Teams Commanders of the various units in the Command to ensure their subordinates are warned against indulging in these sharp practices as any Police Officer found complicit will be made to face disciplinary actions.”

He directed the officers in charge of the Inspector-General of Police X-Squad Unit and the Commissioner of Police Monitoring Unit to commence high-level monitoring of the police officers within and outside the metropolis to forestall any unprofessional conduct by police officers.

He also urged officers and men to be professional and uphold best international best practices in the discharge of their duty.