The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, has removed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Oyigbo Division, Ugochukwu Ijeoma, from his position following allegations raised in a viral video by anti-police brutality activist Harrison Gwamnishu.
The Rivers State Police Command confirmed the development in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, saying the commissioner had ordered the removal of the officer after reviewing the allegations.
The action followed claims by Gwamnishu accusing the DPO of alleged extortion and abuse of office, including accusations that the officer demanded money from a suspect and mishandled a domestic violence-related case.
In the viral video, the activist alleged that Ijeoma collected N500,000 from a suspect arrested during a police operation and accused the officer of using personal accounts to receive payments.
“DPO Oyigbo, DPO Ugochukwu, extorted N500,000 from a suspect who was raided. They raided some persons and they started paying money to release them; if they don’t pay, they won’t release them. The DPO took the money. Look at it in his account. This is the transfer to his personal account,” Gwamnishu said in the video.
He further alleged that the money was later refunded to the suspect after pressure was mounted over the matter.
Gwamnishu also raised concerns over the handling of a domestic dispute involving a woman identified as Mrs Njideka Okorieocha, alleging that she was detained following a complaint linked to a family matter.
According to the activist, the woman had left her husband following alleged domestic violence and reported the matter at the same police division, but claimed no action was taken against the husband.
He alleged that the woman was later arrested after leaving with her two children and was charged to court for allegedly taking away the children, while the domestic violence allegation against her husband was not addressed.
“There is a woman you’re detaining over a family matter. This woman left her husband over domestic violence. The husband brutalised this woman, and the woman filed a complaint at this same division, but the DPO did not take any action against him. This woman left with her 2 children, then the DPO went and arrested her because the husband had paid him,” Gwamnishu said.
“The DPO charged the woman to court for stealing her own children. The DPO did not charge the husband for domestic violence or for abusing the woman; he didn’t use the VAPP law. He instead charged her for stealing her own children,” he added.
The police command’s decision to remove the DPO comes amid continued public scrutiny of allegations of misconduct within law enforcement agencies and renewed calls for accountability in policing.
The command is expected to further review the allegations and take appropriate action based on the outcome of its investigations.
