Rivers CP Removes DPO Over Alleged Extortion

 

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, has removed the Divisional Police Officer of the Oyigbo Police Division in the Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state following serious allegations of extortion and abuse of office. The removal of the officer was triggered by complaints raised by a human rights activist on Friday, who accused the DPO of extorting N500,000 from an individual who had been arrested and detained at the station without committing any known offense. The activist, who posted evidence of the financial transaction on social media, also alleged that the divisional head preferred an absurd charge against a woman, accusing her of stealing her own children during a custody dispute with her estranged husband. According to the activist, the woman was subsequently remanded in a correctional custodial center based on those controversial charges, a development he strongly condemned.

Reacting to the development, the spokesperson for the state police command, Blessing Agabe, issued a statement on Sunday acknowledging that the command had received the complaints against the embattled Oyigbo DPO. Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, stated that the decision of the commissioner to promptly remove the officer from his station was taken to pave the way for a thorough and unbiased investigation into the allegations. She noted that the action aligns closely with the command's commitment to transparency, accountability, and professionalism, while reassuring the public that the inquiry would be carried out with diligence and strict impartiality.

The official police statement detailing the incident partly reads, “The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to a publication currently circulating on various online platforms alleging misconduct involving a Divisional Police Officer in the command.” The command further stated, “The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, Olugbenga Adepoju, expressed his deep dismay over the incident and reiterated that the command will not tolerate any form of misconduct, abuse of office, or actions capable of undermining public trust and confidence in the Nigeria Police Force.”

The state command emphasized that immediate administrative adjustments have been implemented to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation. The statement concluded, “In response to the allegations and in line with the command’s commitment to transparency, accountability and professionalism, the officer concerned has been immediately removed from his position pending the outcome of a thorough and impartial investigation into the matter.”