The Nigeria Police Force has summoned a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and an Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in Imo State over allegations that they demanded a N100,000 bribe from a 15-year-old rape victim.
The incident, captured in a viral video circulating on social media, involved a teenage girl who reported that an unidentified man broke into her family home in an unnamed Imo community and raped her while her siblings attended a masquerade ceremony during the Christmas festivities.
The attacker allegedly threatened the girl with a knife before fleeing.
According to the victim’s sister, when the family visited a police station near the Imo State Government House in Owerri to report the assault, the officers reportedly demanded N100,000 before filing the statement.
“Immediately, they went to the police station to lay a complaint. On arrival, the police told them that to be able to write their statement, they had to pay N100,000,” she said in the video.
In response, the Police Complaint Response Unit (PCRU) confirmed that both the DPO and IPO have been summoned to the Police Headquarters in Abuja for questioning next week. Their identities have not been publicly disclosed.
The development comes just hours after Joseph Udoh, the DPO of GRA Police Station in Asaba, Delta State, was removed from office following allegations that he intimidated and extorted a citizen who aided a dying stranger.
Despite sanctions such as dismissal from service, cases of police brutality, extortion, and other unprofessional conduct remain persistent in Nigeria.
In 2024, for instance, Imo State police officers were ordered to face orderly room trials for extorting motorists in a viral video. Similarly, police officers in Bayelsa State were arrested for allegedly extorting N3 million at gunpoint from a Nigerian man, with the money later returned to the victim.
The ongoing pattern of misconduct has reignited public concerns about accountability within the Nigeria Police Force.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
