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Three police officers have been dismissed from the Imo State Police Command and face imminent criminal prosecution after an internal trial found them guilty of kidnapping, armed robbery, vehicle theft, and impersonation, in a case that exposed how serving personnel used their official status to prey on civilians.
The trio, former Sergeants Gift Ekwueme and Ikechukwu Eto, and former Corporal Divine Ogwuaru, were found to have kidnapped and extorted a resident, Mr. Obinna Egbu, at gunpoint on February 8, 2026, along Mbaise Road in Owerri, making away with 1.7 million naira before snatching his vehicle.
The officers were not on official duty at the time of the incident and had fraudulently presented themselves as operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, popularly known within the command as Tiger Base, to lend their operation a veneer of authority. The impersonation allowed them to act without raising immediate suspicion from bystanders or the victim.
The crime unraveled when Egbu reported the incident to police authorities. Investigators responding to the complaint traced the stolen vehicle to the Owerri-Onitsha Road, where the suspects were allegedly attempting to dispose of it when they were intercepted and arrested. It was only during the course of investigations that the identities of the perpetrators as serving officers were established, according to police sources familiar with the inquiry.
A civilian accomplice, Alex Chukwu, who allegedly served as the getaway driver during the operation, was arrested alongside the officers and faces separate criminal charges.
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All three officers were subjected to an orderly room trial, the internal disciplinary process of the Nigeria Police Force, which returned guilty findings on all charges including armed robbery, kidnapping, car snatching, and impersonation. Their dismissal was confirmed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police Henry Okoye, on Saturday. The offences were determined to contravene Paragraph E (i) and (iii) of the First Schedule of the Police Act and Regulation 370, punishable under Regulation 371 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, as amended.
Okoye said the command had acted with urgency from the moment the incident was reported. “The officers were swiftly apprehended, thoroughly investigated and summarily dismissed in line with extant laws guiding the conduct of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force,” he said, adding that criminal arraignment in a regular court would follow as directed by the Commissioner of Police.
The new Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, who assumed duty in Imo State last week, had specifically warned on assumption of office that he would not tolerate corruption, high-handedness, or professional misconduct in any form, and that defaulters would face consequences without exception. The February 8 incident fell within his first days in office, testing that declaration almost immediately.
“It will no longer be business as usual for erring officers in this command. Any officer found culpable of misconduct or criminality will face the full weight of the law,” Bosso said, directing the command’s Legal Department to ensure immediate court arraignment for all suspects. The commissioner urged residents to provide credible intelligence to aid the command’s continuing internal review, adding that additional officers currently under investigation would face similar consequences if evidence of misconduct was established.
Police misconduct involving active-duty personnel using their status to commit crimes has been a recurring challenge across Nigeria’s security architecture. The combination of uniforms, firearms, and institutional authority creates opportunities for abuse that are difficult to detect without proactive community reporting.
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In this instance, investigators credit the victim’s decision to report the incident as having been decisive in establishing the perpetrators’ identities. Without that report, the officers might have continued operations undetected.
The case also highlights systemic issues around duty roster management, with sources noting that the dismissed officers were absent from official patrol schedules on the day of the incident. The failure to account for officers’ whereabouts during working hours provided the operational window for the criminal enterprise.
Bosso warned that the dismissals represent a beginning rather than a conclusion. “More officers under investigation will face similar disciplinary action if found guilty,” he said, signaling that internal reviews are ongoing across the command and that further consequences were possible.
Okoye said the case underscored the command’s commitment to accountability, professionalism, and restoration of public confidence. He said citizens should feel assured that officers who betray their oath would be dealt with through both internal disciplinary channels and the criminal justice system.
No arraignment date has been officially confirmed. The command’s Legal Department is expected to process the charges and schedule a court appearance as soon as possible, in line with the Commissioner’s directive.
