The Edo State Police Command has arrested nine individuals, including six police officers, over allegations of extortion, abduction and impersonation. Among those apprehended are five serving officers—ASP Bonny Paul Onajite, Insp. Ehubarieme Wisdom, Insp. Arebame Godspower, Cpl. Mordi Philip and Cpl. Okon Elvis—alongside a dismissed corporal, Destiny Emmanuel. Also in custody are Goodluck Jaja, a Point of Sale (POS) operator, and two mini bus drivers, Samuel Nicholas and Etim Bright. Police spokesperson ASP Eno Ikioyedem stated the suspects posed as law enforcement agents, abducting residents in Benin City and forcing them to withdraw money through POS terminals. The syndicate allegedly operated along the Teboga axis off Aduwawa, using vehicles to move victims across the city. Victims were coerced into withdrawing cash under duress, with Jaja allegedly facilitating transactions. The arrests followed multiple complaints from residents about fake police operatives. Ikioyedem confirmed the serving officers are facing internal disciplinary proceedings, including orderly room trials, and will be prosecuted after investigations conclude. She described the actions as a severe violation of public trust and warned POS operators against aiding illegal financial activities.
ASP Bonny Paul Onajite and four fellow officers being arrested for allegedly running an extortion syndicate exposes a disturbing collapse of discipline within the Edo State Police Command. These are not rogue outsiders but uniformed officers using institutional authority to terrorize the very people they are meant to protect—turning police identity into a tool of coercion.
The use of POS operator Goodluck Jaja reveals how financial access points in informal economies are being weaponized in criminal networks, often with insider collusion. That victims were driven around Benin City to withdraw cash under duress suggests a well-rehearsed operation, enabled by the credibility of police uniforms and vehicles. The fact that dismissed corporal Destiny Emmanuel remained operational alongside serving officers points to weak monitoring and porous accountability structures within the force.
Ordinary residents in neighborhoods like Aduwawa now face a crisis of trust—not knowing whether the officer stopping them is legitimate or part of a predatory ring. Daily commuters, small traders and low-income earners who rely on POS services are especially vulnerable to such syndicates.
This case fits a broader pattern across Nigerian law enforcement: the blurring line between policing and predation, where official power is repurposed for personal gain, eroding public confidence one arrest at a time.
