- Anambra CP decorates 10 newly promoted officers
The Rivers State Police Command has announced the dismissal of one Inspector Michael Odey over his involvement in a $3,000 extortion case.
Odey alongside two Assistant Superintendents of Police, Doubara Edonyabo and Talent Mungo, were accused of kidnapping and extortion of two men.
Afterwards, the three officers whisked their unsuspecting victims to three states before dispossessing them of the said amount, equivalent to N4.2 million.
However, the state police command, through its spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the money has been recovered and handed over to the owners.
In a statement released on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Iringe-Koko stated that Odey had been dismissed from the police after the conclusion of orderly room proceedings.
She added that the two ASPs have been recommended for dismissal but will be reviewed by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Police Service Commission for a “fair and just resolution.”
The statement titled, ‘Update: Rivers State Police Command addresses extortion case involving three police officers.’ read, “The Rivers State Police Command is issuing an update regarding an ongoing investigation into an extortion incident involving three police officers. As part of our commitment to transparency and accountability, we are providing the following information:
“After a thorough investigation, two officers have been officially queried and recommended for dismissal as per established procedures.
“This recommendation has been swiftly forwarded to the Force Secretary for necessary action. Inspector Michael Odey’s case has progressed with the conclusion of orderly room proceedings.
“The findings have been reviewed by AIG Alifa Omata, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 16, Yenagoa, who has upheld the recommendation of dismissal from the Force and has been relieved of his duty, effective February 7, 2024.”
The spokesperson added that “it is important to note that all three officers remain in custody as investigations continue into two additional cases of similar nature. Updates on these investigations will be provided in due course.
“The disciplinary process for Assistant Superintendents of Police Doubara Edonyabo and Talent Mungo involves review by the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission, ensuring a fair and just resolution.
“The Rivers State Police Command encourages residents to promptly report any misconduct by law enforcement agents. Be rest assured, all reports will be handled with the utmost seriousness, and appropriate actions will be taken to uphold fairness and justice.”
Anambra CP decorates 10 newly promoted officers
In another development, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Aderemi Adeoye, has decorated 10 newly promoted officers of the command with their new ranks.
Speaking during the occasion in Awka, on Tuesday, Adeoye, stressed that the police profession was a national call to duty, while also reminding the officers that promotion comes with higher responsibilities, even as a new posting comes with new tasks and new tests of competence.
He recounted that he had previously been posted to serve in different capacities in different parts of the country since his 35 years in the Police profession, including Maiduguri where he served as a Sector Commander, JTF and Anambra State.
While tasking the newly-promoted officers on the need to leave up to expectation, the commissioner said he accepted all the postings that came his way in good fate and used the opportunities to shine and prove his competence.
He advised police officers not to lobby for posting, recalling that he was posted from the national headquarters to the South-East to coordinate the Police Mobile Force in the five south-eastern states; and from where he was later posted down to Anambra State as a Deputy Commissioner of Police to help sanitise the state of insecurity as of then.
He said, “I was posted from the National Headquarters Abuja down to the Southeast to Coordinate the Police Mobile Force in the five south-eastern states; from where I was later posted down to Anambra state as a Deputy Commissioner of Police to help sanitise the state of insecurity then, shortly after the assassination of Dr Chike Akunyili, the husband of the late former NAFDAC boss.
“Upon my posting, I worked tirelessly with other officers under my control to see that the security narrative in the state changed for good.
“During the 2021 governorship election, gunmen vowed that the election would not be held in Ihiala Local Government Area, where they had their headquarters during the time they were heavily terrorising the state and even designated some places as no-go areas in the state then.
“This command fought tooth and nail against the unknown gunmen to ensure that the election was held in Ihiala Local Government Area of the State during the 2021 gubernatorial election.
I was here for one year, and God helped us, the election everybody thought would not be held eventually was very successful.
“That was the election that produced the current Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo. At first, there was an election in all parts of Anambra State, but no election in Ihiala Local Government Area, because the unknown gunmen had their headquarters there.
“And immediately we finished the election in other parts of the state, we mobilised the whole force to Ihiala and we engaged them in a shootout in a bush from morning till night, so that they would not go to the Ihiala town to disrupt the election. I was in the helicopter, coordinating the operation and God helped us to succeed.
“Today Anambra is safe and peaceful because some police officers have worked hard for it. And I stand here to declare and assure you that never again will the people of Anambra State be subjected to that kind of mindless bloodletting by miscreants. If they raise their heads to do it again we will take the battle to them.”
He congratulated the newly-promoted officers and reminded them of the need to continue to work harder, and also charged them to always be professional and exemplary in their conduct.
He enjoined them to see the promotion as a better opportunity to do better in their service of sacrifice to the nation and humanity at large, as well as to justify the approval of their promotion by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun.
Aside from David Iloyanomon, a former DCP Administration, who was promoted and now posted to Taraba State as Police Commissioner; other newly-promoted officers from the Anambra State Police Command who were decorated at the event include four officers promoted from Chief Superintendent of Police to the rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police.
Four officers were promoted from Superintendent of Police to Chief Superintendent of Police; as well as one officer promoted from Assistant Superintendent of Police to Deputy Superintendent of Police.
