Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Police Force has taken sweeping disciplinary action against multiple officers implicated in a web of serious crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion, and stealing, as part of an ongoing internal cleansing exercise to rid the institution of corrupt and criminal elements. In a statement issued on Thursday, May 14, 2026, the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, announced that several officers have been dismissed, arrested, or declared wanted following investigations into two major criminal syndicates operating under the guise of official police duties in Rivers State and its environs.
The first syndicate, uncovered by police investigators, involved serving officers attached to Zone 16 Headquarters in Yenagoa. The suspects were identified as Inspector Ayanniyi Jelili, Inspector Durojaye Francis, and Inspector Olayemi Titus. According to the statement, these officers allegedly engaged in armed robbery, kidnapping, and extortion while conducting illegal patrols within Port Harcourt. Their modus operandi included abducting victims during unlawful stop‑and‑search operations, forcibly gaining access to the victims’ banking and cryptocurrency applications, and extorting millions of naira from them. The three officers were arrested, while three accomplices—Inspector Awele Ogbogu, Inspector Prosper Aghotor, and Corporal Favour Onwuchekwa—remain at large. Exhibits recovered from the syndicate included three Toyota Sienna buses used for the illegal operations and the sum of ₦7,338,800 traced to their criminal activities. Investigators also found that the suspects operated with firearms and had carried out similar attacks on unsuspecting members of the public in Rivers State.
In a separate investigation, the police uncovered another criminal network involving officers formerly attached to the Department of Operations of the Rivers State Command. The implicated officers were Inspector John Okoi, Inspector Eyibo Asuquo, Inspector Udo Ndipmong, Inspector Bright Nwachukwu, and Inspector Anele Ikechukwu. These five officers were found to have been engaged in organised acts of kidnapping, extortion, stealing, and official corruption. Their pattern mirrored that of the first syndicate: they routinely abducted citizens, extorted money through unlawful transfers from victims’ bank and cryptocurrency accounts, and dispossessed them of valuables while operating under the cover of official patrol duties. All five officers were subjected to orderly room proceedings, found guilty, and dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force. Their case files have been forwarded for prosecution on charges bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion, and official corruption.
The Nigeria Police Force described the actions of the affected officers as a gross betrayal of the ethics, standards, and professional values of the institution. The Force leadership, under Inspector‑General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirmed its determination to identify, expose, and remove criminal elements from within the institution, regardless of rank or position. The IGP has made it clear that the force will not tolerate any officer who tarnishes its image or violates the rights of citizens. The police also used the opportunity to call on members of the public to continue reporting cases of police misconduct, abuse of office, extortion, and human rights violations through established complaint channels, assuring that all reports would be promptly investigated and appropriate action taken.
The announcement of these dismissals and arrests is the latest in a series of measures by the Nigeria Police Force to cleanse its ranks. In recent months, the force has taken disciplinary action against dozens of officers for various offences, including unlawful detention, bribery, and aiding criminal activities. The IGP has repeatedly warned that any officer found engaging in criminal behaviour will face the full weight of the law, and that the force is committed to building a professional, transparent, and accountable policing system rooted in the rule of law and the protection of citizens’ rights. As the prosecutions proceed, the public will be watching to see whether the dismissed officers are eventually convicted and whether the fleeing accomplices are brought to justice.
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