The Imo State Police Command has detained a police inspector and two personnel of the Imo State Civil Guard Corps (IMSCGC) over an alleged extortion of a motorist in Owerri.
The Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, ordered their arrest and detention alongside an investigation into the incident, which reportedly occurred on Thursday.
The police spokesperson in the state, Henry Okoye, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
According to Okoye, the operatives had claimed that the motorist was driving without a valid driver’s licence when they stopped him in Owerri.
A video of the incident, which circulated on Facebook, showed the female police inspector and two male civil guard personnel allegedly demanding ₦35,000 from the driver, threatening to take him to their office, where he would be required to pay a higher official fee.
The driver repeatedly explained that he had left his licence at home before negotiating the amount down to ₦15,000, which he subsequently transferred to an account provided by the operatives.
The police spokesperson confirmed that the female inspector also serves as a traffic warden.
He identified her as Chinewe Ejiogu, attached to the Shell Camp Divisional Police Headquarters, while the two civil guard personnel were named as Kelechi Nzediagwu and Onyedikachi Chibuike.
“They are currently detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department,” Okoye said.
Police Condemn Alleged Extortion
Reacting to the incident, the police command condemned the conduct of the operatives, describing it as a violation of the standards expected of law enforcement personnel.
Okoye said the commissioner had directed the command’s Complaint Response Unit to investigate the matter and establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged extortion.
“The affected motorist is urged to report to the unit and provide relevant information to assist the investigation,” he said.
“Appropriate disciplinary action will follow upon its conclusion.”
The spokesperson stressed that no traffic offence could justify extortion, harassment or abuse of office.
He added that the command had warned its personnel to discharge their duties within the confines of the law and treat members of the public with respect.
Residents were also encouraged to report suspected cases of police misconduct through the appropriate channels, with the command assuring the public that such complaints would be taken seriously.
The incident has renewed concerns over allegations of extortion and other forms of misconduct involving security personnel in Nigeria, despite disciplinary measures by police authorities.
In a similar incident about six months earlier, police in Anambra State reportedly arrested and detained six senior officers over allegations that they tortured and extorted ₦200,000 from a trader in Onitsha.
In February 2026, three police officers were dismissed over allegations involving kidnapping, the extortion of ₦1.7 million and car snatching in Imo State.
Other reported cases include the fatal shooting of a commercial motorcyclist in Ebonyi State in January 2026 and the killing of a labourer, alongside injuries to three other people, by police operatives in Abakaliki in November 2024.
In another case, a police officer reportedly shot and killed a commercial motorcyclist in Abakaliki in 2018 over an alleged refusal to pay a ₦50 bribe.
Similarly, police operatives in Bayelsa State allegedly extorted ₦3 million from a Nigerian man at gunpoint in August 2024.
Following the victim’s petition to police authorities, the officers were arrested, and the money was reportedly returned about three weeks later.
