Five inspectors affiliated with the Department of Operations have been fired by the Police Command in Rivers due to alleged involvement in armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion, and conspiracy.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Friday by the command’s spokesperson, ASP Blessing Agabe, the Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Placid, revealed this.
According to Placid, the cops engaged in a pattern of illegal activity throughout the state between September 2025 and January 2026.
John Okoi, Eyibo Asuquo, Udo Ndipmong, Bright Nwachukwu, and Anele Ikechukwu were among the policemen fired, according to the force spokesman.
He claims that the matter came to light as a result of petitions filed by the Behind Bars Human Rights Foundation on behalf of several victims.
He clarified that the officers allegedly performed unlawful stop-and-search operations in minibuses, intercepting members of the public at gunpoint.
“The victims were coerced by the cops to reveal their account information and banking pass codes. They took money out of the bank accounts of their victims by force.
To intimidate victims and avoid suspicion, they also pretended to be agents of Zone 16 Headquarters, Yenagoa,” he added.
According to him, additional investigations showed that the group allegedly kidnapped a male victim near Aba Road and took more over N3.6 million and $4,000 from his bitcoin wallet.
He said that a third victim lost N1.5 million after being apprehended near NTA Road, and another victim was allegedly kidnapped and deprived of more than N7.3 million in cash and belongings.
“The policemen were dismissed from the Nigerian Police Force with immediate effect after an orderly room process declared them guilty following their detention.
A prima facie case of conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, official corruption, and extortion has been established against the dismissed officers,” he declared.
The police spokesperson also stated that official charges were anticipated to be filed within 30 days and that the case file had been sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
He reiterated the police’s dedication to professionalism, responsibility, openness, and the defense of citizens’ rights.
