The Edo State Police Command has officially dismissed five operatives following a wave of public complaints regarding harassment, abduction, and extortion.
According to a statement released on Monday by Command PPRO Eno Ikoedem, the group operated as a ten-member syndicate that included serving personnel, discharged officers, and civilian accomplices.
The suspects identified include POS operator Goodluck Jaja, ASP Bonny Onajite, several Inspectors and Corporals, a dismissed officer, and two minibus drivers who allegedly facilitated the crimes.
Addressing the situation, the PPRO noted: “The Command had, in recent times, received several complaints from members of the public alleging harassment, abduction, and extortion by individuals posing as police officers.”
The syndicate reportedly targeted victims along the Teboga axis, where they would “unlawfully stop unsuspecting citizens, forcefully convey them around various roads… and eventually take them to Point of Sale (POS) operators to fraudulently extort money.”
Deeply concerned by the reports, Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika ordered a discreet investigation, which utilized technical intelligence and surveillance to dismantle the network.
The investigation revealed that the suspects misused official police equipment to deceive the public, an act the Command stated brought “the name of the Nigeria Police Force into disrepute.”
Regarding the immediate disciplinary actions taken, Ikoedem confirmed: “Those who are serving personnel have been dismissed. Upon conclusion of these processes… they will be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.”
The Command is now urging other victims to step forward, while warning business owners: “Any POS operator found to be complicit in such illegal activities will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.”
Reiterating a commitment to reform, the Command assured the public of its dedication to sanitizing the system and “ensuring that no individual, regardless of status, is above the law.”
