Four Police Officers Reportedly Dismissed Over ₦43 Million Fraud

Four officers of the Nigeria Police Force stationed at Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja, have reportedly been dismissed over their involvement in a fraudulent scheme that embezzled ₦43,160,000 from recovered funds at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

The incident, which occurred on August 26, 2023, involved the interception of ₦74,950,000 being transported by Andrew Ejah, an employee of FATFAD Cargo Nigeria Limited.

The officers—DSP Peter Ejike, Inspectors Ekende Edwin and Esther Okafor, and Sergeant Talabi Kayode—misrepresented the amount as ₦31,790,000 and siphoned ₦43,160,000.

Police Spokesperson, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, revealed that the officers unlawfully detained Ejah without proper authorization and demanded a share of the funds to suppress the investigation.

The misconduct came to light after the rightful owners of the money petitioned the Force Headquarters.

An internal investigation confirmed the officers’ involvement in the conspiracy, revealing attempts to tamper with evidence and spread false narratives to online platforms in a bid to cover up their actions.

In December 2024, the four officers were found guilty of corruption, abuse of office, tampering with evidence, and misconduct. As a result, they were suspended and subsequently dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.

The statement partly read, “The incident in question, which occurred at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on August 26, 2023, has been thoroughly investigated. 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 ₦74,950,000 on behalf of clients. Acting without authorization, they detained Mr. Ejah at the Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja, and deliberately misrepresented the recovered amount as ₦31,790,000. 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 ₦31,790,000, 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 ₦31,790,000 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 ₦43,160,000, 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 is the spread of this false narrative and misinformation to several online blogs and newspaper platforms.

“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 Case Against ‘Ijele Speaks’

Meanwhile SaharaReporters claimed that one of the dismissed officers Peter Ejike was implicated in colluding with Prophet Ebuka Obi of Zion Prayer Movement Outreach to prosecute a blogger and content creator, Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu, popularly known as “Ijele Speaks.”

In December 2024, Ejike, alongside Inspectors Ekende Edwin, Esther Okafor, and Sergeant Talabi Kayode, all stationed at Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja, was suspended following allegations of misconduct.

Sources confirmed to SaharaReporters on Saturday that Ejike and the other officers have now been officially dismissed.

“The officer, Peter Ejike, who collaborated with Prophet Ebuka Obi to unlawfully prosecute Ijele Speaks, has been sacked for another case of fraud,” a source disclosed.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Police Service Commission (PSC), Ikechukwu Ani, stated he could not confirm the dismissal at the time and requested a follow-up on Monday.

Ani, however, explained that the PSC oversees disciplinary actions for senior officers, while the Inspector General of Police handles cases involving junior officers.

The situation surrounding blogger Ijele Speaks escalated when he accused Prophet Ebuka Obi of performing fake miracles.

Following a petition by Obi, the police arrested the blogger on charges including cyberstalking and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

In September 2024, human rights advocate Prince Okechukwu Emezu wrote to the Inspector General of Police, highlighting the blogger’s unlawful detention.

Emezu accused Officer Ejike of using personal vendettas to manipulate the legal system, causing severe health complications for Ijele Speaks during his detention.

Emezu alleged that Ijele Speaks was transferred multiple times, denied bail despite meeting conditions, and ultimately poisoned while in custody at Ikoyi Prison, leading to kidney failure and cardiac arrests.

According to the lawyer, the blogger narrowly survived after intervention from compassionate prison staff.

The lawyer said his client’s “health had deteriorated significantly.

“It is in Ikoyi Prison, where prison staff sympathetic to IPOB and influenced by Mr. Obi’s Zion Ministries, systematically poisoned Mr. Ofoegbu.

“Within days, this led to the catastrophic failure of both of his kidneys. Sir, this was not a coincidence, but a deliberate act designed to cripple and silence him.

“He suffered multiple cardiac arrests and only narrowly survived, thanks to the intervention of a compassionate prison officer who alerted his family.

“It was after this intervention, vis-a-viz, that Chukwuka has alerted his family that the prison authority dubiously and hurriedly sent him to a hospital, located in Lagos where he would be diagnosed of kidney failure,” he said.