Police Names Officers Enmeshed In N44m Currency Smuggling Scandal

Police at Force Headquarters, has disclosed the names of its men who got enmeshed in a currency smuggling scam totaling N74.95 million.

It said the policemen conspired and stole part of the money, amounting to N43.16 million, and tasked one of them to move the cash out of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The purpose was to hide it pending when the heat blows over.”

Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, made clarification on the issue yesterday against the backdrop of social media allegations that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was shielding a cartel involved in currency smuggling.

“The officers involved – DSP Peter Ejike (a lawyer in charge of Zone 7 Legal Section), Inspector Ekende Edwin, Inspector Esther Okafor, and Sergeant Talabi Kayode, all attached to the Zone 7 Headquarters were found culpable and sanctioned appropriately.

“These officers, led by Inspector Esther Okafor, on the instruction of DSP Peter Ejike, unlawfully arrested Andrew Ejah, an employee of FATFAD Cargo Nigeria Limited, who was conveying the cash sum of N7.95million on behalf of clients.

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“Acting without authorisation, they detained Mr. Ejah at the Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja, and deliberately misrepresented the recovered amount as N31.79 million.

‘The officers further demanded a percentage of the funds to suppress the case.

“Upon being contacted by the alleged owners of the money, the officers claimed that the sum they had recovered from the arrested suspect was N31,790,000 and requested a percentage of the money to jeopardise investigation and suppress the case.

“Outraged by their actions, the money owners petitioned the Force Headquarters, Abuja and the matter was directed to the IGP Monitoring Unit for Investigation.

“During the process, the cash sum of N31.79million was recovered from the officers, who claimed that it was the total money recovered from Andrew Ejah during his arrest.

“After intense investigations and a series of trial before duly constituted disciplinary panels, it was discovered that the officers took photographs of the suspect and the sacks of monies at the point of arrest but claimed the phone they used was damaged and subsequently lost, in an attempt to conceal their misconduct.

“However, forensic intelligence showed that this group of officers conspired and stole part of the money, amounting to N43.16million, and tasked one of them to move the cash out of the FCT for hiding pending when the heat blows over.

“They, thereafter, resorted to several tricks and gimmicks in order to cover their tracks. One of which was the spread of this false narrative and misinformation to several online blogs and newspaper platforms.

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“These officers have been suspended, being found culpable of serious misconduct, tampering with exhibits, abuse of office, corrupt practice, illegal duty, and acts unbecoming of a police officer.

“The movement of such an amount of money by the alleged cargo company could have been investigated and handled professionally by the police, but the officers were carried away by greed and therefore acted criminally and unprofessionally.”

The allegation of currency smuggling, the police therefore stated, was thoroughly investigated.