The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has announced that four of its officers implicated in the theft of ₦43.16 million from a total of ₦74.95 million recovered during an unauthorized arrest at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, have been suspended
The NPF Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, who announced this in a statement issued on Wednesday, 4 December, 2024, explained that the officers—DSP Peter Ejike, Inspector Ekende Edwin, Inspector Esther Okafor, and Sergeant Talabi Kayode, all attached to Zone 7 Headquarters—were found guilty of conspiring to tamper with exhibits, abuse of office, and other acts of misconduct.
The officers, according to Adejobi, led by Inspector Okafor under DSP Ejike’s directive, arrested Andrew Ejah, an employee of FATFAD Cargo Nigeria Limited, who was transporting the cash on behalf of clients in August 2023.
The NPF image-maker explained that the officers were alleged to have reported only ₦31.79 million as the recovered amount, concealing the remaining ₦43.16 million.
Adejobi said that following a petition by the owners of the money, the case was escalated to the IGP Monitoring Unit, saying that investigations revealed that the officers conspired to steal part of the cash and attempted to hide their tracks by claiming technical issues with evidence and spreading false narratives.
He said that upon being contacted by the alleged owners of the money, the officers claimed that the sum they had recovered from the arrested suspect was N31,790,000, and requested a percentage of the money to jeopardise investigation and suppress the case.
“Outraged by their actions, the money owners petitioned the Force Headquarters, Abuja and the matter was directed to the IGP Monitoring Unit for investigation,” he explained.
