THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has reaffirmed the dismissal of Edith Uduma, an inspector, over allegations of extortion and misconduct.
However, the Force ignored accusations implicating a divisional police officer (DPO) in the same case.
The Police in a statement on Wednesday, November 27, said the decision followed an orderly room trial and further investigations that exposed the dismissed officer’s complicity in an incident involving an attempted rape of a 17-year-old female suspect by another officer, Abraham Uzuobo.
The ICIR reported that Uduma, dismissed alongside Uzuobo, claimed her disengagement was a ploy to silence her after exposing Uzuobo’s alleged rape of a 17-year-old female suspect in custody.
The case, which garnered national attention after a viral video showing Uzuobo hastily dressing as Uduma filmed, but the footage did not surface until weeks after the incident.
The police instead, claimed that she conspired with her husband, also an officer, to demand N1 million from Uzuobo to cover the case.
However, Uduma has repeatedly denied this allegation, claiming that the DPO instructed her to demand the bribe from Uzuobo under the guise of luring him out of hiding.
While the police have also insisted that Uduma’s dismissal followed due process, the former officer accused the Edo State Police Command of twisting the facts and shielding the DPO.
She also alleged that after Uzuobo paid N45,000, the DPO and other officers turned against her, accusing her of extortion.
Uduma also expressed concerns about her ‘detained’ husband and the implications of her dismissal for her children, whom she said she had not seen in months due to her ordeal.
She also threatened to end her life and those of her children, saying that she’s been hiding since the incident.
Despite these allegations against the DPO, the Force’s statement was mum on the issue, but rather claimed Uduma’s claims were unfounded and were targeted at tainting the reputation and integrity of the Police Force.
“However, it has come to the attention of the Force that following her dismissal, Mrs Edith has made numerous unfounded claims regarding her innocence and has sought to taint the reputation and integrity of the adjudicating authority, the Inspector-General of Police in person, and the entire Police Force.
“It is imperative to set the record straight and provide clear context regarding her actions and the decision to dismiss her from service. The dismissal of former Police Inspector Edith Uduma was not only justified but necessary, based on thorough investigations that presented irrefutable evidence of her failure to follow standard incident report protocol to immediately document the incident, attempt to conceal an offender for benefit, participation in extortion and manipulating the justice process for personal gain,” the statement added.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M