Rivers Police Debunk Alleged N80m Extortion By Officers
Rivers State Police Command has debunked claims in a viral video accusing an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Olayinka Ajeigbe attached to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Port Harcourt, and two other officers of alleged extortion of N80 million and a gold necklace worth N4 million from one Mr Atubi Davison who works as a task force Chairman, securing oil facilities in Rivers State.
A human rights activist, Israel Joe, had last Friday, petitioned the acting Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over alleged extortion by ACP Ajeigbe and two other officers, Emmanuel Eteng and Uche Ada, accusing them of taking away the sum, including two vehicles after breaking into Davidson’s house in Port Harcourt on Thursday, September 14, 2023, and arrested him.
The rights activist said, the money, mostly in dollars, was for payment of pipeline surveillance contractors in the Niger Delta.
He said, “When they saw that calls were coming from different angles, they called us, that they were going to release the two cars and any amount they release to him (Davison), he should manage it, that they are going to send 30 million naira to the IGP, N16 Million to the CP.
“At the end of the day, the (Police) released the two cars, Chevrolet and Toyota Camry car to him.
They released only N12 million to him and took away a whopping sum of over 80 million naira along with his gold chain valued at about N4 million, the two plasma televisions, shoes and clothes they carried from his house.”
Reacting to the allegations in a statement over the weekend, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Grace Iringe-Koko described the claims by the petitioners as misleading.
Iringe-Koko explained that the suspect’s arrest was rooted in allegations of involvement in cybercrime and ritualistic activities.
According to her, the arrest was subsequent to a comprehensive search of his residence at No. 6 Peace Avenue, Egbelu, Rivers State, Police Operatives discovered substantial sums of money in both domestic and foreign currencies concealed in his premises, notably atop the ceiling. Adding that his inability to provide a satisfactory account for the origin of the money led to his transfer to the SCID for further investigation.
The statement reads in part, “However, it came to light that the suspect had a urinary catheter in his stomach, necessitating a medical assessment.
“Upon consultation with a medical professional, it was determined that his health condition could not endure excessive stress, prompting a decision to release him into the custody of a reliable surety while investigations continued.”
According to her, “Mr. John’s father acted as his surety and requested financial assistance for his son’s medical needs.
“The Deputy Commissioner of Police granted a partial release of funds on compassionate grounds for the suspect’s healthcare, while the remaining amount was meticulously documented and entrusted to the exhibit keeper.
“Additionally, a gold necklace, reportedly obtained from an undisclosed woman, was also registered with the exhibit keeper.
“The Rivers State Police Command emphatically reaffirms that the entirety of the money is securely registered and under the custody of the exhibit keeper, thus refuting any insinuations to the contrary made by the suspect, as it is vital to get a proper understanding of the reason behind concealing such huge amount of money in cash in his house, as well as not being able to give a full account of the monies.
“The Command urges the public to dismiss the misinformation presented by Israel Joe, recognizing it as a distortion of facts.
It is important to emphasize that the investigation is ongoing, and the Command intends to provide a comprehensive update to the public regarding its outcome in due course.
