TENSION Hits Nigerian Police! IGP Exposed For Allegedly Colluding With Notorious Cartel To Move Money From CBN
Over the weekend, tensions escalated within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Headquarters following revelations that Inspector- General Kayode Egbetokun has allegedly been shielding a cartel involved in transporting large sums of new naira notes from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The development, which has sparked widespread disquiet, has also raised questions about the IGP’ s integrity and intentions. The saga began on 26 August 2023, when four police inspectors intercepted a suspicious consignment of cash at the domestic wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The money, consisting of bundles of freshly printed N500 and N200 notes amounting to tens of millions of naira, was about to be loaded onto a Lagos- bound flight. The suspects, five in total, described themselves as ” contractors” but failed to explain the purpose of the funds or identify the CBN officials involved in handing over the money.
The arrests, led by inspectors Ekende Edwin, Esther Okafor, Patrick Nwande, and Talabi Kayode, temporarily disrupted the cartel’ s activities, which had reportedly been ongoing for years, even before the 2022 naira redesign. Despite their claims, the suspects could not substantiate their statements, leaving the investigation mired in ambiguity.
While initial investigations pointed to a financial crime syndicate, the case took a controversial turn when the IGP’ s monitoring unit intervened. The suspects, including ringleader Andrew Ejah, were released under unclear circumstances. The suspects later alleged that the sum they had been transporting had been reduced from ₦75 million to ₦32 million, accusing the arresting officers of tampering with the cash.
An orderly room trial was conducted in December 2023, and the inspectors were exonerated due to a lack of evidence linking them to the missing funds. Notably, there was no receipt detailing the original amount of money, making the claims of the suspects unreliable. The verdict, issued on 13 December 2023, referenced 7370/SPM/FHQ/ABJ/VOL. 15/98, cleared the officers of wrongdoing.
However, IGP Egbetokun, dissatisfied with the outcome, ordered a second trial. The February 2024 verdict, which again found the officers not guilty, failed to appease the police chief. Undeterred, he initiated a third trial, fuelling speculation about his motives and stirring unrest within the police ranks.
The relentless pursuit of the four inspectors, despite two exonerations, has raised suspicions about IGP Egbetokun’ s role in the matter. Many within the police hierarchy believe he may be shielding powerful figures implicated in the cartel. A senior officer, speaking anonymously, described the IGP’ s actions as ” blatantly corrupt, ” adding that the officers were being punished for doing their jobs.
The controversy has drawn attention to a broader issue of accountability within the police force. Civil society organisations, including the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), have previously criticised Egbetokun for allegedly obstructing anti- corruption investigations, such as the case involving APC national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje.
The involvement of Mr Ejah’ s syndicate in transporting cash from the CBN highlights deep- seated issues of corruption and institutional complicity. Ejah’ s admission that the operations have been ongoing for years suggests the influence of powerful figures beyond the police force. The CBN has yet to clarify its role in the matter, and its spokesperson has remained silent despite multiple enquiries.
Video
As pressure mounts on IGP Egbetokun, the matter has been reported to the Police Service Commission (PSC). However, his close ties to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for whom he once served as an orderly, complicate the likelihood of any immediate disciplinary action. The president’ s silence on the issue has further intensified speculations about the administration’ s commitment to addressing corruption within the police force.
