Cash Smuggling Scandal: Police Denies IGP’s Involvement, Suspend 4 Officers Over N43m Theft
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has strongly refuted recent media allegations suggesting that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, was protecting a cartel involved in smuggling new banknotes from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The police have condemned these claims as baseless and part of a deliberate campaign to tarnish the IGP’s reputation and the integrity of the Police Force.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, addressed the incident, which took place at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on August 26, 2023. The statement confirmed that the four police officers involved in the case had been thoroughly investigated and held accountable for their actions.
The officers, identified as DSP Peter Ejike (a lawyer in charge of Zone 7 Legal Section), Inspector Ekende Edwin, Inspector Esther Okafor, and Sergeant Talabi Kayode, were stationed at the Zone 7 Police Zonal Headquarters in Abuja. They unlawfully arrested Andrew Ejah, an employee of FATFAD Cargo Nigeria Limited, who was transporting ₦74,950,000 on behalf of clients. The officers detained Ejah at Zone 7 Headquarters and misrepresented the seized amount as ₦31,790,000.
Further investigation revealed that the officers demanded a bribe from the money’s owners in exchange for suppressing the case. The owners, outraged by the officers’ actions, petitioned the Force Headquarters, which led to an investigation by the IGP Monitoring Unit. During the investigation, the officers claimed they had recovered ₦31,790,000 from Ejah, but forensic intelligence uncovered that they had actually stolen ₦43,160,000.
In a bid to cover their tracks, the officers spread false narratives to online blogs and media platforms. The police force clarified that these allegations were part of a smear campaign designed to distract from the officers’ criminal actions.
The four officers involved have been suspended, and they face prosecution for serious misconduct, tampering with evidence, corruption, abuse of office, and other professional violations. The NPF stressed that the situation was a result of the officers’ greed and lack of professionalism, undermining the integrity of their duties.
ACP Adejobi reiterated that the false accusations against the IGP were a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the officers’ criminal acts. He called on the public and the media to avoid spreading misinformation that could damage the reputation of the police force and hinder efforts to reform it. The suspended officers will face both legal and administrative proceedings as part of the ongoing investigation.
