POLICE DISMISS CLAIMS OF EXTORTION BY KIDNAPPER

The Nigeria Police Force has denied claims that officers of the Inspector General of Police's Intelligence Response Team, IRT extorted over N50 million and other valuables from billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (popularly known as Evans), while in police custody.

Jimoh Moshood, the Force Public Relations Officer, said in a statement on Sunday that the report, which also accused the police officers of sexually molesting Evans' girlfriend, Amaka Offor, was untrue.

Mr. Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police described the claims as "absolute falsehood, misleading, unfounded, and deliberate attempt to cast aspersion on the thorough and discrete investigation carried out by the Nigeria Police Force in all the offenses committed by Evans, who had pleaded guilty in court to multiple kidnappings, murder, armed robbery, and other capital offences."

Last Friday, Olukoya Ogungbeje, the lawyer representing Evans, filed a petition to the Police Service Commission accusing officers of the IGP's IRT of forcefully collecting monies and valuables running into hundreds of millions of naira from his client.

According to Mr. Ogungbeje, some of the items extorted from Evans include three vehicles; 25 Mack trucks; and wristwatch, pendant, necklace, diamond rings and phones worth over $300,000.

Evans was in police custody for almost three months before he was charged to court last August where he pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping.

The billionaire kidnapper, however, did not plead guilty to murder, armed robbery and other capital offences as stated by Mr. Moshood in the police's statement.

"Virtually all the items erroneously claimed by Olukoya Ogungbeje to have been forcefully and 'corruptibly' extorted from his client were found to have been exaggerated," Mr. Moshood continued.

"For avoidance of doubt, all monetary exhibits and other valuable properties including houses and exotic vehicles were not extorted but recovered by the IGP Intelligence Response Team during the investigation into the several cases of kidnappings, murder, armed robbery and other capital offences linked to Evans were duly registered and will be tendered in court as exhibits as the trial progresses."

Mr. Moshood said no police personnel involved in the investigation of all the cases linked to Evans engaged in sexual molestation of Ms. Offor, describing the claim as "entirely untrue and incorrect."

"The Nigeria Police Force sees these publications as a deliberate distraction and ill motives by Olukoya Ogungbeje to pervert the end of justice.

"He is advised to face his client's case in court and not mislead the public," the statement added.