Corruption Exposed in Enugu Police Command: Calls for Inspector General’s Intervention

Corruption Exposed in Enugu Police Command: Calls for Inspector General’s Intervention

Allegations of corruption have surfaced within the Oji River Area Command of Enugu State’s police force, with Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Chinedu Ugwu and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) James at the center of the scandal. The complaint alleges serious misconduct, including bribery and obstructing justice.

The issue began with an incident on April 1st, 2024, at Wembley Hotels & Suites during an Easter celebration. A kidnapping gang, masquerading as vendors of new currency notes, allegedly tried to abduct Prophet Barrister Professor Obiajulu Uja. In the process, they inflicted physical harm and stole Uja’s Vivo Android phone. Despite promptly reporting the crime to the Oji River Area Command, Uja claims that ACP Ugwu and ASP James hindered the investigation through corrupt practices.

According to Uja’s detailed complaints, ACP Ugwu is reportedly receiving a weekly stipend from the hotel where the incident occurred and has a reserved suite for personal use. Uja asserts that he was required to pay cash “approval fees” ranging from N10,000 to N20,000 to process his petition, and additional cash payments were demanded for investigation mobilization—all without issuing receipts. Uja’s attempts to address these issues through petitions to higher authorities, including the Commissioner of Police and the ICPC, have been met with inaction. Moreover, Superintendent of Police Samuel Okoro from the Crack Squad Enugu reportedly demanded N300,000 as a mobilization fee, based on telephone conversations with ACP Ugwu. Uja also reports threats from ACP Ugwu and ASP James, who claimed their influence extended from Oji River to Abuja, making it clear that any further complaints would be ignored.

Uja is urgently calling for the intervention of Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbatokun. He demands an immediate investigation into the misconduct of the accused officers, the return of his stolen phone, and a formal undertaking from the officers concerning their threats. This situation underscores an urgent need for oversight and reform to address corruption and restore integrity within Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies.