The Edo State Police Command has recovered ₦300,000 allegedly extorted from a local furniture maker by officers of the Oba Market Area Command in Benin City.
Police spokesperson, SP Moses Yamu, confirmed this in a statement on Monday, stressing that those implicated had been taken into custody and would face disciplinary measures.
According to Yamu, the action followed a viral video shared by a social media influencer in Edo, which accused the officers of extorting the artisan.
“The officers involved have been identified, the money has been fully recovered and returned to the victim, while they remain in detention to face disciplinary procedures in line with police regulations,” Yamu stated.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, had directed strict administrative action against the Oba Market Area Command to restore professionalism and discipline.
“The command has zero tolerance for misconduct. Citizens are encouraged to report any unprofessional behaviour to the Public Complaints Bureau or the Complaints Response Unit through the dedicated phone lines,” Yamu said.
The statement also commended the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5, AIG Salman Dogo, for what it described as his “unwavering support in entrenching accountability and transparency in policing.”
This is not the first time officers in the state have faced disciplinary proceedings over extortion. In May, six policemen and a Chief Superintendent were arraigned before the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, after a video showing them extorting motorists along the Benin Bypass went viral.
At the time, Egbetokun condemned their conduct as “shameful, distasteful, and utterly unacceptable” and ordered internal disciplinary procedures.
