Okolie said he was extorted after reporting to the police that a Point of Sale (POS) operator, one Sunday aka Full Bar, fraudulently debited N300,000 from his account without his authorisation.
Mr Ikechukwu Okolie, a native of Awgu local government area has accused the Awgu Divisional Police Officer and Divisional Crime Officer, SP Kelvin Ugwu of illegally detaining and extorting him of N91,000.
Okolie said he was extorted after reporting to the police that a Point of Sale (POS) operator, one Sunday aka Full Bar, fraudulently debited N300,000 from his account without his authorisation.
Okolie, who spoke to SaharaReporters disclosed that sometime in August 2023, 2023 he went to cash N30,000 from a Point of Sale (POS) operator. According to him, shortly after the N30,000 he went to collect was debited, he received debit alerts of three withdrawals in quick succession of N100,000 each, bringing the total to N300,000 illegally withdrawn from his account.
Okolie said he went back to the POS operator to demand an immediate refund of the money to his account.
He said, "I told him that I was going to report him to Awgu Police Station but Sunday denied it and told me that if I reported him, he would leave the police station as soon as I left the station and that nothing would happen to him. He was bragging because he hails from the same town as the station’s DPO (Divisional Police Officer) – Isuochi in Abia State."
Okolie said he reported the matter at Awgu Police Station. "The police asked me to pay N 20,000 for entry and opening of file and an additional N36,000 before an arrest could be made. I gave them N56,000.
"Mr Sunday was later arrested with his POS machines but he was released as he had boasted to me without any investigation. Because of the way the DPO and his DCO handled the matter, I was forced to report the matter at the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Enugu.
"Immediately, Mr Sunday was invited and asked to come along with his POS machines, but he refused to bring those machines. Rather, he offered and paid the money into my account."
Okolie further revealed that after they left the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and returned to Awgu, Mr Sunday went back to Awgu Police Station and reported to the DPO what happened at the unit in Enugu.
"Immediately, the DPO ordered my arrest and I was consequently arrested with my boy. We were detained for hours before we were later released after I was forced to transfer N35,000 to the personal account of the DCO, Sp. Kelvin Ugwu with Account Number 0725545010 domiciled with FCMB on September 19, 2023," he revealed.
Okolie, however, through some concerned residents of Awgu have petitioned the State Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, to direct the police officers to refund all the money they extorted from him.
He also called on the Nigeria Police Force to carry out a thorough investigation into the excesses of the personnel of Awgu Police Divisional Headquarters, who according to him have now engaged in “official robbery”.
He accused them of arresting residents based on trumped-up charges and extorting money through bail ranging from N20,000 to N100,000.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, promised to investigate the issue and get back to our reporter.
However, SP Kelvin Ugwu did not answer his calls.