IGP Usman probes officers for extorting bitcoin worth N22m from youths at gunpoint

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has ordered the investigation of an alleged extortion of N22m worth of bitcoin by some police officers through holding two youths at gunpoint.

The accused police officers are  currently serving at the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Alagbon, Lagos and have been ordered to report to the Special Investigation Panel, Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday.

IGP Usman ordered a probe of the allegations of professional misconduct, abuse of office and extortion made against a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Nwawe Cordelia, and others at the FCID, Alagbon.

On Monday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, in a statement titled, ‘IGP orders investigations into alleged extortion of 22 million naira worth of bitcoin’, said IGP Usman set up the SIP headed by DCP Olaolu Adegbite of the Force Intelligence Bureau to carry out a discreet and transparent investigation into the allegations against the officers.

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The statement partly read, “This development has become imperative following the report making the rounds in the media alleging the involvement of the officers in the extortion of Twenty-Two Million Naira worth of Bitcoin from two young Nigerians, Morakinyo Tobiloba Peter and Yusuf Samson Dayo at gunpoint on July 14, 2021 while driving along the Ikoyi/Ajah Expressway, Lagos State”.

“The Force advises any member of the public who has had similar experiences of high-handedness or extortion by the officers in question, her team or any other officer at the FCID Alagbon to come forward with detailed information to enable the panel achieve a wholistic investigation,” the statement added.

Mba also assured Nigerians that “any officer found wanting will be visited with the full wrath of the law”.