Alleged billionaire kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (a.k.a. Evans) has accused seven senior police officers and others on the Inspector-General (IG) Intelligence Response Team of extortion and sexual assault.
He alleged that the investigators forcibly obtained his cash in local and foreign currency, phones, wrist watches, jewelry, television, cars and trucks.
Evans claimed that his girlfriend, Amaka Offor, “was roundly sexually molested and abused by the above policemen of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team”.
In an October 13, 2017 petition written on his behalf by his counsel, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, he called for “appropriate sanctions and dismissal of the culpable police officers and policemen”.
The lawyer claimed that the policemen “forcefully and corruptly extorted” N50 million from Evans and his wife was also forced to part with another N5 million.
A sum of $10,000 was also allegedly forcibly taken from him.
He listed other items to include a Brigade wristwatch, valued at $117; a $70,000 pendant cross; a necklace of $25,000; a Virtu phone worth $30,000; a Virtu Signature phone valued at $17,000; and five pieces of Saphono Ruccu diamond rings worth $100,000.
Ogungbeje also accused the police of taking away from his apartment, his 85-inch Samsung television set, worth N6.5 million.
Other items were 25 Mack trucks; a Lexus 470 jeep; a Grand Cherokee jeep; a L400 Mitsubishi Bus and a gold-colour Toyota Highlander jeep.
The lawyer alleged that Evans’ girlfriend, one Amaka Offor, “was roundly sexually molested and abused by the police team”.
But Force spokesman CSP Moshood Jimoh and Head of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) ACP Abba Kyari described Evan’s lawyer as someone on deliberate misleading allegations of extortion against the police.
In separate interviews with The Nation yesterday, the two officers expressed disgust over Ogungbeje’s claim that IRT operatives had extorted expensive telephone handsets, vehicles, money and other valuables from his client.
Jimoh said it was unfortunate that a handful of people, who claim to be very knowledgeable easily resort to desperate name-calling against the police when officers and men are only carrying out their basic statutory duties in the interest of millions of citizens.
“As for the allegations being made against policemen, who are investigating the kidnap suspect, I can assure you that they are unfounded claims.
“That notwithstanding, our officers and men will neither be intimidated nor distracted from performing their statutory responsibilities,” he stated.
Kyari expressed grave disappointment, stressing that policemen, who risked lives and limbs to bring notorious criminals to justice, did not deserve such despicable treatment.
He said: “Several of the items that he (Ogungbeje) was referring to were items that we publicly displayed and these were given adequate media coverage across Nigeria.
“Besides, does it make sense for anyone to have expectations that the proceeds of grievous crimes like kidnapping or murder should remain in the hands of a suspect, who can use such resources to further his own ends?
“The telephone handsets that clearly linked the suspect to crimes and other relevant exhibits displayed before are still intact in custody; nobody is doing all the things being unfairly alleged.”