By Attah Ede
The Edo State Police Command has dismissed five of its personnel and demoted another over alleged harassment, unlawful arrest, abduction, and extortion of members of the public in the state.
The Edo State command police public relations officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Benin city.
Ikoedem explained that the affected personnel were found guilty after a thorough investigation and disciplinary proceedings during their orderly room trial.
According to her, the dismissed personnel were operating as an organised criminal network comprising serving police personnel, dismissed police personnel, commercial bus drivers, and civilian collaborators who systematically targeted innocent members of the public for abduction and extortion.
She further said the sacked officers had been operating around the Teboga axis, off Aduwawa, Benin City, where unsuspecting citizens were intercepted, forced into commercial buses under the guise of police operations, driven around various parts of the city, and subsequently compelled to withdraw money through Point-of-Sale operators before regaining their freedom.
The PPRO gave the names of those disengaged from the police force to include Corporal Mordi Philip, Corporal Destiny Emmanuel, Corporal Uwatse Emmanuel, Corporal Okon Elvis, and Corporal Samuel David Obeten.
She said they would be prosecuted for their alleged involvement in criminal activities.
She also disclosed that Inspector Ehubariemen Wisdom, attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), had been demoted from the rank of inspector to sergeant.
“One Inspector Enahoro Nicholas, attached to Police Mobile Force Squadron 60, is currently at large and has been declared a deserter,” she said.
“Efforts were ongoing to apprehend him and bring him to justice”, she said.
