Rivers CP Removes Oyigbo DPO Over Allegations Of Extortion, Misconduct

 

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, has removed the Divisional Police Officer of Oyigbo Division, Ugochukwu Ijeoma, from his post following a viral video by anti-police brutality activist Harrison Gwamnishu. 

In a swift reaction, however, the Rivers State Police Command acknowledged the video and confirmed the removal of Ijeoma from his position following the allegations. In a statement signed by the command’s public relations officer, Blessing Agabe, the command confirmed that Adepoju had ordered the removal of the DPO from his position.

Gwamnishu accused the Investigating Police Officer of complicity: “The IPO gave the suspect the DPO’s account because the DPO said without the payment, they will not be released. He took 500,000 from the suspect.”

He, however, pointed out that under pressure, the DPO refunded the money to the suspect. The activist wasn’t done, however, as he further raised a troubling allegation about the same CSP Ugochukwu being involved in a domestic issue between a couple. He specifically said the DPO is detaining one Mrs Njideka Okorieocha.

Gwamnishu had accused the officer of extorting N500,000 from a suspect and detaining a domestic violence victim at the request of her alleged abuser.

He accused Ijeoma of extorting money from a member of the public. In the viral video, Gwamnishu said, “DPO Oyigbo, DPO Ugochukwu, extorted 500,000 from a suspect who was raided. They raided some persons and they started paying money to release them; if they don’t pay, they won’t release them. The DPO took the money. Look at it in his account. This is the transfer to his personal account,” he said as a picture of the debit alert flashed on the screen.

“There is a woman you’re detaining over a family matter. This woman left her husband over domestic violence. The husband brutalised this woman, and the woman filed a complaint at this same division, but the DPO did not take any action against him. This woman left with her 2 children, then the DPO went and arrested her because the husband had paid him,” the activist said.

“The DPO charged the woman to court for stealing her own children. The DPO did not charge the husband for domestic violence or for abusing the woman; he didn’t use the VAPP law. He instead charged her for stealing her own children.”

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