Elizabeth Chimobi
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has revealed that a detailed forensic investigation into an alleged smuggling incident involving new banknotes worth N74,950,000 has uncovered misconduct by some of its officers.
The funds, intended for client transport, were targeted by a group of officers who stole N43,160,000 from the total.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, emphasized this finding in response to allegations circulating on social media, which claimed that IGP Kayode Egbetokun was protecting a network involved in currency smuggling.
ACP Adejobi clarified that the officers involved had conspired and appropriated a significant portion of the funds. Their actions included instructing one of their own to remove the stolen cash from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to conceal it until public scrutiny subsided.
In a formal statement, ACP Adejobi denounced the claims suggesting IGP Egbetokun’s complicity as baseless and an attempt to discredit the NPF’s leadership and integrity.
He highlighted that the alleged smuggling incident occurred on August 26, 2023, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and was thoroughly scrutinized.
The investigation identified the officers involved: DSP Peter Ejike, a lawyer and head of Zone 7 Legal Section; Inspectors Ekende Edwin, Esther Okafor, and Sergeant Talabi Kayode—all attached to Zone 7 Headquarters.
These officers were found guilty of seizing the cash and unlawfully detaining Andrew Ejah, an employee of FATFAD Cargo Nigeria Limited, who was transporting the money on behalf of clients.
Without authorization, they detained Mr. Ejah at Zone 7 and reported that only N31,790,000 was recovered, in an attempt to mislead and suppress further investigation.
When approached by the owners of the money, the officers falsely claimed that only N31,790,000 was taken from Mr. Ejah and demanded a share to prevent the case from advancing.
The fraudulent behaviour prompted the money’s owners to file a complaint with Force Headquarters, leading to an investigation by the IGP Monitoring Unit.
During the investigation, the stolen sum of N31,790,000 was recovered from the officers, who alleged it was the full amount seized.
Further analysis exposed their attempts to conceal evidence by claiming that their phone, used to photograph the incident, had been damaged and lost.
However, forensic intelligence confirmed that the officers had stolen the additional N43,160,000 and planned to stash it away.
The officers also spread disinformation to online platforms and media outlets to obscure their actions. As a result, they have been suspended for serious misconduct, including tampering with evidence, abusing office power, corruption, and engaging in acts unbefitting of their positions.
ACP Adejobi highlighted that while the transportation of such a significant sum by the cargo company could have been handled with professionalism, the officers succumbed to greed and acted unethically.
He stated, “The false narrative being spread is a deliberate attempt to distract from the officers’ criminal conduct and discredit the Inspector-General of Police.”
The officers will face prosecution following legal and administrative processes. The NPF urges the public and media to resist spreading false claims that undermine public trust and disrupt efforts to reform the police by removing unprofessional elements.