By Tony Adibe
This is not the best of seasons for the Anti-Cult Unit of the Enugu State Police Command. The other time, it was the widely reported shooting to death of a popular traditional musician, Igbo-Jah, who was said to have been short recently by one of the operatives within the Anti-Cult Unit premises.
Now, there is apparent confusion among some members of the Anti-Cult Squad over a bribery scandal involving some officers and an accomplice to a kidnap suspect. The suspect, Juliet Obodo was paraded at police headquarters last week along a kidnap suspect, one Ikechukwu Okoye.
NewsBits learnt that Obodo, a widow, was a female friend to Okoye, who purportedly kidnapped a 70-year-old woman from Akpugo in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, and later killed and buried in a shallow grave.
But the bubble was said to have burst for the police at Anti-Cult Squad when it was discovered that some of the operatives demanded and received money from Obodo to grant her bail but later re-arrested her after she had parted with N350,000.00. N200,000.000 (Two hundred Thousand Naira) was said to have been paid cash while N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) was transferred to the account of a police man (name withheld).
It was learned that as the woman was re-arrested and sent back to detention, her relations became worried and wanted to know about the bail money that was paid. Police authorities who are averse to paying money for bail and bribery among officers were said to have intervened in the issue, maintaining that the personnel involved must refund the money or face the consequences of their actions.
While reacting to the development, the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP, Daniel Ndukwe, said that the suspects will soon go to court and that if there is proof that money exchanged hands, the police personnel involved must face the music.
Ndukwe said: “The suspects involved will soon be arranged in court. Such act of extortion will not be tolerated. Hence, let complainant make him/herself available with facts to aid investigation and necessary action, please.”
