ABIA: Police Deny Extorting Suspects
The Abia State Police Command has refuted a trending allegation of extortion involving one of its officers in Aba. The allegation, which surfaced online, claims that an officer extorted ₦100,000 each from 10 suspects as bail on October 4, 2024. The Command, however, described the claims as baseless and a result of frustration by the accuser.
According to a statement released on Tuesday and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Maureen Chinaka, the police began investigating the matter after a social media blogger alleged that police officers demanded a total of ₦1 million to release suspects.
The suspects were reportedly arrested in connection with a complaint filed by Life Stock Feed PLC, Aba, over missing funds and production materials.
The PPRO explained that on October 3, 2024, the Aba Area Command acted on a petition from Life Stock Feed PLC, leading to the arrest of several company staff suspected of involvement in the alleged crime.
However, one Mr. Samuel Okoye, who attempted to secure bail for three of the suspects, was refused bail by the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) due to the ongoing nature of the investigation. Okoye reportedly became furious and threatened the officer, prompting him to make the viral post.
In a turn of events, the police invited Okoye to clarify his claims. “Mr. Samuel Okoye…has refused to honor the invitation stating that his allegations were made in anger…and he has decided to let go,” read part of the statement. The police further revealed that one of the arrested suspects admitted to advising his colleagues against defrauding the company but failed to report their activities to the management.
ASP Chinaka reiterated the Command’s commitment to investigating and sanctioning any officer found guilty of misconduct.
She warned that defamatory posts against the police force would be met with legal action, urging the public to “verify the accuracy of information before making posts.”
The Abia State Command stressed its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and unprofessional conduct within its ranks, while vowing to protect its image against false accusations.
ABIA: Police Deny Extorting Suspects is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
