Police dismiss three officers for abduction, extortion in Abia

The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, has dismissed three officers for allegedly conspiring to abduct and extort unsuspecting victims.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chinaka, announced this in a statement on Friday, identifying the dismissed officers as Jonas Nnamdi, James Daniel, and Ifeanyi Emeka.

Nnamdi, a sergeant, was attached to the Police Area Command in Aba. Daniel and Emeka, both corporals, were attached to the Department of Operations in Umuahia and Eziama Divisional Police Headquarters, respectively.

The officers were arrested on January 29 while armed with an electric baton, an assault rifle, and a Beretta pistol. They were apprehended alongside two unnamed civilians by a divisional police officer in the Abayi area.

Chinaka said the officers allegedly hired a minibus, abducted civilians along the Port Harcourt Expressway, threatened them, and extorted money. They later demanded additional payments from the victims’ families for their release.

Following an investigation and orderly room trial, the officers were found guilty of unprofessional conduct and dismissed from the force. Their official accoutrements have been retrieved, and they have been handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department for prosecution.

The commissioner reaffirmed the command’s zero tolerance for corruption and misconduct, assuring Nigerians that the police will not condone such acts. He emphasized the commitment to upholding the Inspector-General of Police’s vision for a professional and service-driven force.