…Transfer N4.5m from victim’s account
CITIZENS COMPASS— The Nigeria Police Force has arrested eight of its officers for offences bordering on kidnappings, armed robbery and other related offences.
Some other suspects are now at large.
The suspects who were.serving in the state police command and Zone 16 Beyelsa State were arrested for extortion, kidnapping, armed robbery and official corruption.
Force Public Relations Officer. Anthony Okon Placid, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), disclosed this yesterday, while addressing journalists.
Placid said arrests were a product of intelligence-led investigations into serious criminal misconduct involving both serving and dismissed police personnel operating within Rivers State and other parts of the country.
He said: “The cases before you today involve officers who abused the authority entrusted to them by engaging in conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion, stealing, and official corruption, acts entirely inconsistent with the ethics, professionalism, and core values of the Nigeria Police Force.
“Through diligent investigations, this Command has uncovered these criminal networks, effected arrests, recovered exhibits, and initiated both disciplinary and criminal proceedings against all persons found culpable.
“This case involves serving police officers attached to Zone 16 Headquarters, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, who are alleged to have operated an illegal patrol and extortion syndicate within Rivers State.
“On 3rd February 2026, one Festus Saturday filed a formal complaint alleging that he was unlawfully intercepted, abducted, and robbed by armed policemen posing as stop-and-search officers along Igbo Etche Road, Port Harcourt.
“Findings of Investigation established that on 3rd November 2025, the complainant was driving alongside his cousin in a Lexus RX 350 when he was stopped by a six-man police team operating from a Toyota Sienna bus.
“No incriminating item was found during the search. Despite this, the officers detained and assaulted the complainant, compelled him to unlock his mobile phones, and proceeded to access his banking and cryptocurrency applications.
“The officers subsequently abducted both men to an undisclosed location, where the following sums were forcibly transferred from the victim’s accounts: NGN 4,500,000.00 from his OPay bank account
USD 1,742.00 from his cryptocurrency wallet.
“The total value of funds unlawfully obtained from the victim amounts to NGN 7,338,800.00, inclusive of the foreign currency equivalent.”
He noted that investigation proved that the suspects were armed with AK-47 rifles during the operation and had engaged in similar criminal activities against multiple unsuspecting citizens within Rivers State using the same method of operation.
Placid said that three Toyota Sienna Space Buses used in the illegal operations were recovered alongside the sum of NGN 7,338,800.00.
The police image maker said the issues of Conspiracy, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Stealing, and Extortion by DOPS Patrol Officers the Rivers State Police Command.
He said: “This case relates to a pattern of criminal conduct perpetrated by officers attached to the Department of Operations (DOPS) Patrol Team, Rivers State Police Command, Port Harcourt.
“Findings of Investigation established that the suspects, while armed and operating in minibuses, routinely intercepted unsuspecting citizens during illegal stop-and-search operations.
“Victims were coerced into revealing their banking PINs and account details, after which funds were unlawfully transferred from their bank and cryptocurrency accounts.
“The criminal activities occurred on separate occasions between September 2025 and January 2026 at multiple locations across Rivers State.
