The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed several officers and launched criminal prosecutions after uncovering cases of armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion, and corruption linked to serving personnel in Rivers State and other parts of the country.
Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Okon Placid, disclosed this during a briefing in Port Harcourt, saying the action followed intelligence-led investigations into serious misconduct involving both serving and dismissed officers.
According to him, the affected officers abused their authority to run organised criminal operations, engaging in conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion, theft, and other forms of official corruption.
He said the police leadership has already carried out disciplinary procedures, including orderly room trials, dismissal from service, arrests, recovery of exhibits, and preparation of criminal charges against those involved.
Placid revealed that one of the major cases involved officers attached to Zone 16 Headquarters, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, who allegedly operated illegal patrol teams and extortion networks in Rivers State.
In one of the incidents, a complainant identified as Festus Saturday alleged that armed men posing as police officers abducted and robbed him along Igbo Etche Road in Port Harcourt.
Investigations reportedly established that on November 3, 2025, a six-man police team stopped the victim and his cousin while they were driving a Lexus RX 350. Although no incriminating items were found, the officers allegedly detained and assaulted them.
The suspects were said to have forced the victims to unlock their mobile phones and gain access to banking and cryptocurrency accounts, before transferring funds amounting to about N7.3 million in total, including foreign currency equivalents.
The officers were also accused of abducting the victims to an undisclosed location during the operation.
Further findings indicated that the suspects were armed with AK-47 rifles and had carried out similar operations against multiple victims using the same method.
The police named several officers arrested in connection with the case, including Inspectors Ayanniyi Jelili, Durojaye Francis, and Olayemi Titus, while others, including Inspector Awele Ogbogu, Inspector Prosper Aghotor, and Corporal Favour Onwuchekwa, are currently at large.
Authorities said three suspects are already in custody and undergoing orderly room trials, while a manhunt is ongoing for those who fled.
In a separate case, the Force said investigations uncovered another criminal network linked to officers attached to the Department of Operations (DOPS) in Rivers State.
The case was reportedly triggered by petitions submitted through the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 16, by a human rights group on behalf of victims.
According to findings, officers allegedly carried out illegal stop-and-search operations using minibuses, during which they forced victims to reveal bank PINs and access cryptocurrency wallets, leading to unlawful transfers of funds.
Between September 2025 and January 2026, multiple victims were reportedly targeted in different locations across Rivers State, with losses running into millions of naira and valuables.
Victims included individuals who were robbed of cash, gold jewellery, wristwatches, and digital assets after being abducted at gunpoint.
The officers implicated in this second case include Inspectors John Okoi, Eyibo Asuquo, Udo Ndipmong, Bright Nwachukwu, and Anele Ikechukwu.
The police confirmed that following orderly room proceedings, all five officers were dismissed from service after a prima facie case of conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion, and corruption was established.
The case files have been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with formal charges expected to be filed within 30 days.
The Force leadership described the conduct of the dismissed and arrested officers as a “grave betrayal” of public trust, stressing that such actions do not reflect the values or professionalism of the Nigeria Police Force.
It added that under the current leadership, the police are committed to accountability, transparency, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
The Force also urged members of the public to report cases of misconduct through official complaint channels, including the Rivers State Police Command Control Room, the Force Public Relations Office in Port Harcourt, the online complaints portal, the Police Service Commission, and the Police Complaints Response Unit.
Authorities assured that all credible complaints would be treated confidentially and investigated promptly.
