The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has categorically denied allegations implicating the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, in a smuggling scandal involving suspicious banknotes from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi described the reports as “baseless and orchestrated attempts to tarnish the IGP’s reputation and the integrity of the Force.”
Adejobi provided clarity on the incident, which occurred at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on August 26, 2023. He revealed that four officers from Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja—DSP Peter Ejike, Inspector Ekende Edwin, Inspector Esther Okafor, and Sergeant Talabi Kayode—were found culpable of misconduct during an operation involving the arrest of Andrew Ejah, an employee of FATFAD Cargo Nigeria Limited.
“These officers, led by Inspector Esther Okafor under the directive of DSP Peter Ejike, unlawfully arrested Mr. Ejah, who was transporting the sum of N74,950,000 on behalf of clients,” Adejobi stated. “They misrepresented the recovered amount as N31,790,000 and demanded a percentage of the funds to suppress the case.”
Adejobi explained that the officers, acting without proper authorization, detained Mr. Ejah and attempted to conceal their misconduct by providing false information about the seized funds. “Forensic investigations revealed that the officers conspired to steal N43,160,000 of the money and even tasked one of them to move the cash out of the Federal Capital Territory to evade detection,” he added.
The situation escalated when the rightful owners of the money petitioned the Force Headquarters. “Outraged by their actions, the money owners filed a petition, prompting an investigation by the IGP Monitoring Unit,” Adejobi said.
“The officers’ misconduct was uncovered, including their attempts to tamper with evidence and mislead investigators by claiming their phone, which contained photographs of the suspect and the money, was damaged and lost.”
Following thorough investigations and disciplinary proceedings, the officers were found guilty of several infractions, including tampering with exhibits, abuse of office, corrupt practices, and illegal detention. Adejobi assured that the erring officers had been suspended and would face prosecution. “The movement of such a substantial amount of money by the cargo company could have been handled professionally by the police, but greed overtook their judgment, leading to criminal and unprofessional behavior,” he remarked.
Adejobi also addressed the false narratives being circulated online, suggesting they were part of an elaborate attempt to deflect attention from the officers’ wrongdoing. He stressed that the Inspector-General had no connection to the scandal and remains committed to upholding the integrity of the Force.
“The Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in its mission to ensure accountability and professionalism among its ranks,” Adejobi concluded. “The affected officers will be prosecuted upon the conclusion of due legal and administrative processes.”
