The police command in Delta State has demoted an inspector and a corporal after they were found guilty of extorting a motorist through a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal inside a police station in Asaba.
The disciplinary action follows an orderly room trial ordered after a viral video showed the officers receiving money from a motorist through a POS machine at the ‘C’ Division Police Station on 13 January.
In a statement on Wednesday, the police spokesperson in the state, Bright Edafe, said the Commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyeniyi, upheld the findings of the trial, which found Inspector Augustine Jeremiah and Corporal Miracle Ehirim guilty of “Disobedience to Lawful Order, Extortion and Discreditable Conduct” under the Police Act, 2020.
Mr Jeremiah was reduced to the rank of sergeant, while Mr Ehirim was demoted to constable.
IGP’s zero-tolerance policy
Mr Edafe said the police commissioner reiterated Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu’s “zero-tolerance policy on extortion and professional misconduct,” stressing that the police chief had “unequivocally prohibited the use of POS terminals and other electronic payment platforms within Police stations and formations.”
“He warned that no officer is authorised to demand or receive money from members of the public under any guise, adding that any officer found culpable will face appropriate disciplinary action,” the statement said.
The commissioner urged officers to uphold professionalism, integrity and respect for citizens’ rights, adding that the punishment should serve as a deterrent and reaffirm the command’s commitment to accountability and public trust.
He also encouraged residents to continue reporting police misconduct through the Police Complaint Response Unit.
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Background
The sanctions conclude disciplinary proceedings initiated in April after a Facebook video surfaced showing a motorist allegedly being forced to transfer N50,000 through a POS operator inside the Asaba police station.
The video, shared by human rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu, prompted the police commissioner to order an orderly room trial, describing the officers’ conduct as “embarrassing,” “unprofessional,” and “inexcusable.”
The case is one of several disciplinary actions taken by the Nigeria Police Force this year amid persistent complaints of extortion and abuse of office.
In February, police dismissed three officers over the alleged kidnapping, extorting N1.7 million from a man at gunpoint and stealing his vehicle.
In March, six senior officers in Anambra were detained for allegedly extorting N200,000 from a trader, while another case involved allegations that police operatives abducted civilians and extorted N1.1 million from them.
Despite dismissals, prosecutions and disciplinary measures, cases of police extortion, brutality and other forms of misconduct have continued across the country, raising concerns about accountability and public confidence in the force.
