EXCLUSIVE: Nigerian Police Officer Demoted For Job Extortion Racket Reinstated After Intervention By Chief Of Staff Gbajabiamila, IG Egbetokun—Sources

A police officer, SP Sidi Abubakar, who was demoted for extorting applicants during a nationwide recruitment exercise, has been reinstated after intervention from the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), sources told SaharaReporters.

According to sources, Abubakar was among nearly 24 officers caught in an extortion racket that preyed on desperate job seekers. The officers reportedly collected large sums of money from applicants in exchange for placement into the Nigeria Police Force.

“He was punished just like every other erring officer. They demoted him from Superintendent of Police (SP) to Inspector. Some officers faced the same fate, while others were dismissed entirely,” the source revealed.

Abubakar, who was assigned to the Area 11 Force Headquarters in Abuja, worked under the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in charge of the Department of Training and Development, Frank Mba, overseeing computer-based recruitment processes for police academies and schools.

“Everybody expected that the punishment would stand. But surprisingly, he bought his way back,” the source said. “We learned that he leveraged his connections with the Chief of Staff and the IGP to secure his reinstatement to the same rank and office.”

Abubakar reportedly returned to work as an SP at the Force Headquarters on Monday, February 17, continuing to wear the rank on Tuesday and Wednesday despite his initial demotion.

This development came amid a broader crackdown on police misconduct. According to a police wireless message obtained by SaharaReporters, the Nigeria Police Force recently dismissed, demoted, and sanctioned several officers over offences ranging from extortion to murder.

The document, dated January 23, 2025, revealed that 19 officers have been dismissed and are set to face prosecution. Among them are ASP Ogunmuyiwa Saburi, ASP Idris Dan-Auta, CSP Pascal Ugocha, SP Yakubu Hankuri, DSP Mohammed S. Jahun, DSP Ayodele Emmanuel, and DSP Jimmy Ayeni. Their prosecution has been handed over to the Commissioner of Police (CP) Legal at the Force Headquarters for further legal proceedings.

Other officers facing court trials include ASP Imoohi Dora, ASP Lawali Ahmed, ASP Salisu Ibrahim, and ASP Monday Ahmad Opanda. ASP Abdullahi Garba is facing prosecution for murder and culpable homicide, highlighting the severity of misconduct within the force.

Additionally, 24 officers have been demoted for professional misconduct, including ACP Mohammed Aminu (reduced to CSP) and CSP Helen Ajuma Negedu (downgraded to SP). SP Bello Aliyu and SP Ehimen Paul were demoted to DSP, while DSP Haruna Abdulmumini and DSP Ferdinand Oyigbo were downgraded to ASP.

Several Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs), including Ndikamwu Henry, Enimade Oyediran, Ojulari Olaseni Oluwadara, and Adewumi Adeola, have been reduced to the rank of Inspector, demonstrating the police force’s stated commitment to disciplinary action.

Ten officers, including ACP Muhamad Auwal Yunusa, ACP Kalat Shamang, and CSP Nwanchor Emmanuel, received severe reprimands, while nine others, such as DCP Mohammed A. Jika and CSP Mathew Omosun, were officially reprimanded.

Other disciplinary actions included the demobilization of ASP Emmanuel Kura from the Police Mobile Force (PMF) and an order for DSP Hauwa Kulu Sulaiman to refund nine days of salary. DSP Ayuk Tachen has been surcharged for the loss of a firearm.

Meanwhile, DCP Coker Olalekan James was exonerated after investigations cleared him of any wrongdoing.

Despite these disciplinary actions, the reinstatement of SP Sidi Abubakar has raised concerns about corruption and favouritism at the highest levels of the police force.

SaharaReporters' attempts to contact Force spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi for comments via his mobile line were unsuccessful.

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