A Human rights advocate Israel Joe based in Delta state has petitioned the acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun over alleged extortion of 80 million naira and gold necklace worth of 4 million naira from Mr. Atubi Davison by an Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACP) Olayinka,2ic State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department(SCIID),Portharcourt and two other officers simply identified as Emmanuel and Uche.
Mr. Joe in a petition to Inspector General of Police dated September 21, which was duly stamped by the office of the IGP, said the Police on 14th September,2023 busted the home of Mr. Davison at Peace Avenue Road, Egbelu, Obio)Akpor , searched the house and saw 100 million naira mostly in dollars which was meant for payment of men securing pipeline facilities in Niger Delta, since Mr. Davison is a Chairman of one of the units securing pipeline facilities.
The rights activist said the Police took away the money, two cars and gold chain valued 4 million naira, arrested four persons in Mr. Davison house including a female .
Mr. Joe claimed that despite Police investigation showing that the money was for payment of securing oil facility the Police held on to the money
In a further telephone interview with our reporter, Mr. Joe said
“I met with the Assistant Commissioner(AC) State CIID and asked him what are you investigating the man for, the AC told me that is an alleged kidnap case that he don’t know if somebody will come and report that his money is missing or is a ransom money, that all they need to do is to see how they can manage the situation that the money is about 100 million naira.
“Major part of the money is in dollars. I told the AC they should charge him(Davison) to court if the man committed any offence .
“When they saw that calls were coming from different angles, they called us, called the father that they were going to release the two cars for him and any amount they release to him(Davison),he should manage it, that they are going to send 30 million naira to the IGP,16 Million naira to the CP.
“At the end of the day, they(Police) released the two cars, they released the Cheverolet and Toyota Camry car to him. They released only 12 million naira to him and took away whopping sum of over 80 million naira along with his gold chain valued about 4 million naira, the two plasma Television, shoes and clothes they carried from his house .
“The IPO even told us to leave Portharcourt that criminals may come for us. That we should leave Rivers State.
“I know one CP called him(AC) and he confirmed that they took away almost 100 million naira from the man’s house .They released only 12 million naira for the man.
“The 12 million was in dollars. The other people who were arrested with the man bailed themselves, some one millions naira,2 million naira, just like that.
“I am calling for proper investigation, the money should be refunded, all officers involved should be brought to book.
“If the surveillance workers are not paid, people will go and break the pipeline and the man has nothing to do and it will tell on the economy of the Federal Government of Nigeria”.
The spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe Koko said she will get back to us when contacted by our reporter but was yet to do so at press time.