By Uzair Adam
The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has uncovered how three police officers attached to Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja, illegally diverted N43,160,000 from a cargo worker at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in August 2023.
According to a statement released on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Ogunjobi, the officers—Inspector Ekende Edwin, Inspector Esther Okafor, and Sergeant Talabi Kayode—acted on the directives of DSP Peter Ejike.
They unlawfully arrested Andrew Ejah, an employee of FATFAD Cargo Nigeria Limited, who was transporting N74,950,000 on behalf of clients.
The officers reportedly detained Ejah at Zone 7 Headquarters and falsely declared that only N31,790,000 was recovered. They allegedly demanded a portion of the funds in exchange for suppressing the case.
Upon receiving a petition from the owners of the missing funds, the Force Headquarters assigned the IGP Monitoring Unit to investigate.
The unit recovered N31,790,000 from the officers, who maintained that it was the total sum confiscated during Ejah’s arrest.
Further investigations revealed that the officers had tampered with evidence. Photographs taken at the time of arrest, showing the full amount, were allegedly lost after the phone used was damaged.
However, forensic analysis exposed their conspiracy to divert N43,160,000 and move it out of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for safekeeping.
The statement also addressed circulating reports accusing Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun of shielding a cartel involved in smuggling new banknotes from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The NPF dismissed the claims as false and part of a smear campaign to divert attention from the officers’ misconduct.
“The implicated officers have been suspended and face prosecution for serious misconduct, tampering with exhibits, abuse of office, and corrupt practices,” Ogunjobi added.
The NPF urged the public and media to disregard false narratives aimed at tarnishing the Inspector-General’s image and undermining ongoing police reforms.