Multiple senior police sources, who spoke to SaharaReporters on Thursday on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, alleged that Egbetokun moved swiftly after news of Ikeji’s alleged involvement in a $2.5 million fraud became public.
Nigeria’s Police Headquarters has been thrown into turmoil following allegations that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, ordered an emergency digital clean-up to erase online traces linking him to Nigerian socialite Nzube Henry Ikeji, a man accused in an international fraud scheme involving the impersonation of a Dubai Crown Prince.
Multiple senior police sources, who spoke to SaharaReporters on Thursday on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, alleged that Egbetokun moved swiftly after news of Ikeji’s alleged involvement in a $2.5 million fraud became public.
According to the sources, the IGP was in Lagos when reports about Ikeji began circulating widely.
He allegedly cut short his stay in the state and returned abruptly to Abuja, where he reportedly summoned officers of the Force Information Technology Department alongside several senior police officers for an emergency meeting.
“The moment the story broke, the IGP left Lagos for Abuja,” one top police source told SaharaReporters. “He called the IT department and senior officers and told them clearly that some officers were leaking information to SaharaReporters. There was panic everywhere.”
The source explained that the IGP ordered an internal probe to identify officers suspected of speaking to the media, while at the same time directing urgent steps to sanitise his digital footprint.
“They track conversations. The police have gadgets to monitor the communications of top officers,” the source claimed. “The IGP does not want SaharaReporters to report anything about this matter because Ikeji came last year and gave him money and gifts.”
Another senior police officer said that Egbetokun specifically instructed the IT unit and external social media handlers to remove all photographs and posts linking him to Ikeji, particularly on Instagram.
“He informed the IT department to delete all the pictures he appeared in with Ikeji,” the source said.
A separate source corroborated this claim, alleging that professional social media experts were engaged to carry out a digital clean-up operation.
“I can confirm to you that all the posts on Instagram have been deleted,” the source told SaharaReporters. “This is why they started damage control immediately after the viral documentary published by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).”
The OCCRP documentary reportedly detailed how a Nigerian man impersonated a Dubai royal to defraud a Romanian woman of approximately $2.5 million.
Police insiders allege that the suspect in question is Henry Ikeji, widely known in social circles for flaunting luxury and royal connections.
One source went further, alleging that Ikeji’s influence and protection within the police hierarchy stemmed from his purported relationship with the IGP himself.
“I can tell you exclusively that the notorious fraudster involved in the Romanian scam of about $2.5 million for impersonating a Dubai prince is Henry Ikeji,” the source alleged. “Everyone at police headquarters knows that his godfather is the IGP.”
The same source made explosive claims of alleged financial transactions between Ikeji and the police boss.
“Even in December, Ikeji allegedly gave him plenty of gifts and cash for Christmas and the festivities,” the police source said.
Sources also linked a former Force Public Relations Officer into the controversy, alleging deep-rooted networks of protection for cybercriminals within the force.
Amid the growing scandal, SaharaReporters was also told of alleged power plays and sudden redeployments within the police hierarchy, which insiders say are aimed at neutralising perceived threats to the IGP’s position.
“IGP has moved AIG Disu to Lagos suddenly,” another source said. “The plan is to force his retirement so that he can eliminate any threat from anyone who may come against him as IGP.”
During the week, Egbetokun approved the immediate posting of AIG Olatunji Disu as the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos.
According to multiple accounts, the controversy has thrown police headquarters into disarray, with senior officers unsure of their positions and constant movements between Abuja and Lagos by the IGP.
“He has been moving from Lagos to Abuja and back, running what we call false headquarters,” a source said. “There is a lot of pandemonium in the system because of this issue.”
On Thursday, the Nigeria Police Force’s National Cybercrime Centre announced that it had begun investigating a viral documentary claiming that a Nigerian socialite impersonated the Crown Prince of Dubai to defraud a foreign victim of millions of dollars.
The Centre’s Commissioner of Police, CP Uche Ifeanyi, revealed this during a press briefing, stating that officers had started profiling and fact-checking the allegations circulating online.
“I tell you, we were able to intercept that case that is actually trending now. Just this morning, I summoned my people to conduct a profiling and analysis on the facts that we’ve seen,” Ifeanyi said.
He added that the police had not been formally contacted by the YouTuber or documentary producers behind the report, and were relying on information currently available in the public domain while their review continued.
“We’ve not been contacted by the YouTuber, so what we have on the ground is information that is out there on the media. We are analysing this and we’re going to do justice to it,” he said.
Ifeanyi emphasised that the police would treat the matter seriously, whether the allegations stemmed from social media, petitions, or intelligence from content creators.
“It’s a very serious issue, and the Nigeria Police Force cannot sweep it under the carpet. Whether it’s coming from a YouTuber or a petition, it’s a complaint and we’re going to treat it seriously,” he stated.
The cybercrime chief also warned Nigerians to be cautious of online investment scams, highlighting that promises of unrealistic returns and pressure tactics are common warning signs.
“When an investment looks too good, people should ask questions. If you suspect any, report to the Office of the Inspector General of Police, and we will do justice to it,” he added.