Daud Olatunji
Police operatives in Edo State have apprehended two suspected fake policemen, Alex Akaeze (39) and Kadiri Hassan (45), alongside three other individuals for the unlawful possession of 1,080 kg of ICE, a hard drug with a street value of ₦20 million.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the operation, conducted by operatives of the Command’s Intelligence and Rapid Response Squad, led to the arrest of the suspects at a guest house operated by one of them, Ovie Samuel, located at No 5, Colobus Street, off Upper Mission Extension Road, Benin City.
Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Funsho Adegboye, labelled the two former policemen as “fake policemen” who are part of a criminal syndicate engaged in drug trafficking.
In an interview with journalists, Alex Akaeze, claimed to be an Inspector of Police, confessed to his involvement in the illicit activities, revealing his journey from Ketu to SARS and subsequent transfers, including a recent transfer to Alagbon, where he had not reported for duty.
Hassan Kadiri, also claimed the rank of Inspector, admitted to failing to report for duty at Alagbon since his transfer in February this year, despite claiming to have joined the Force in 2008.
Also, Ovie Samuel, the hotel operator and alleged facilitator of the drug deal, denied involvement in drug trafficking but could not explain how he was approached by the suspects for the procurement of ICE.
In an interview with journalists, Alex Akaeze said: “I am an Inspector of Police. I was enlisted in 2009, I started in Ketu, from there to SARS. I was transferred to Zamfara, but I did not go. I worked myself back to Zone 2, from there I was transferred to Lagos State Command, from where we were later transferred to Alagbon since September last year, but we yet to report for, ǹduty there.
“These two officers [Command operatives], are our colleagues, we worked together in IRT, I have their phone numbers and I called them before I came down from Lagos and I told them that I have an urgent arrest to make and wanted them to follow us and they agreed.
“Although I told the that I still serve at Alagbon, but I didn’t tell them the truth that we have not reported for duty there. We were with them in their office yesterday and they led us to make the arrest.
“We were however surprised that they suddenly changed it for us and arrested us with the drug dealers.”
In his confessional statement, the Edo State-born Hassan Kadiri who claimed to have joined the Force in 2008, and on the rank of Inspector, also admitted that he was yet to report to duty at Alagbon when he was transferred since February this year.
Ovie Samuel, the indigene of Orogun, Delta State-hotel operator who procured the hard drug, denied ever dealing on hard drugs.
But, when asked how the men knew that he could procure ICE for them, he could not give an answer.
“The people called me and said that they needed ICE and I called my brother in Delta state to bring it for them, only for them to reveal their real identities that they are policemen,” he said
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