The police command in Edo state says it has arrested six police personnel and four civilians over their alleged involvement in an extortion syndicate targeting residents in Benin.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, disclosed this in a statement released today April 13. Ikoedem explained that the arrest followed series of complaints from members of the public alleging harassment, abduction and extortion by individuals posing as police officers. She mentioned that the suspects operated mainly along the Teboga axis off Aduwawa, where unsuspecting residents were usually intercepted by them.
According to her, the suspects will forcefully convey their victims around the city and compelled them to withdraw money through Point of Sale (POS) operators under duress.
”The Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, ordered a discreet, intelligence-led investigation, and through sustained surveillance, technical intelligence and coordinated operations by operatives of the command, the criminal network was successfully busted. This led to the arrest of the suspects and the dismantling of the criminal network.”
The police imagemaker mentioned that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects comprised of six serving and one dismissed police personnel working in collaboration with three civilian accomplices, including a POS operator and some commercial drivers.
”They formed a well-organised criminal syndicate responsible for abduction and extortion of innocent citizens, exploiting police accoutrements to deceive their victims,” Ikoedem said
The police spokesperson said that serving personnel implicated in the case were undergoing internal disciplinary procedures, including orderly room trials. She added that they would be prosecuted after investigations were concluded.
She called on victims of the syndicate to come forward with useful information to support ongoing investigations and prosecution, while warning POS operators and other service providers against facilitating illegal transactions.
”Any POS operator found to be complicit in such illegal activities will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly,” she warned.
