Delta Police remove DPO over N2.5m extortion allegation

BY NOSA AKENZUA, ASABA

The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Aina Adesola, has ordered the immediate redeployment of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Jesse Division, CSP Chidi Nwabuzor, and directed the X-Squad to investigate an allegation of N2.5 million extortion involving some officers of the Division.

The move follows a viral video in which a woman accused the DPO, a Police Constable identified as Bright, and another officer, Usman, of extorting the sum of two million, five hundred thousand naira from her with the promise that her brother, who is in Police custody, would be released.

In a statement on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Bright Edafe, said the Commissioner of Police had taken “immediate and decisive action” after listening to the complaint.

According to the Police, the incident has its roots in the arrest of some suspects by the youth leader of Jesse community on January 1, 2026. Among those arrested was the complainant’s younger brother, Israel Onojeruo, 20, who was alleged to have bought a gun from another suspect, Okoro Desmond.

“The suspects were later transferred to the State Anti-Cult Unit (SACU) for further investigation,” the statement said.

However, following the allegation of extortion against the DPO and two other officers, CP Adesola ordered the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of X-Squad to immediately commence a thorough investigation.

“The Constable identified as Bright in the video has been detained at the Command Headquarters, while the DPO has been removed from Jesse Division and redeployed to the Command Headquarters pending the outcome of the investigation,” the Police said.

The Command added that the removal of the DPO was also “in response to a series of complaints of extortion and unprofessional conduct levelled against him from different quarters.”

CP Adesola assured members of the public that the Command would not shield any officer found culpable.

“If after investigation the officers are found to have acted in an unprofessional manner, they will be dealt with decisively in accordance with the extant laws as stipulated in the Police Act and regulations to serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.

The Commissioner further stressed that the Delta State Police Command under his leadership “will not tolerate any form of extortion, intimidation, incivility to members of the public or any act of unprofessionalism by officers.”