Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, lauded SP Rilwan Kasumu and his team from Area K, Marogbo, Lagos State Police Command, for their integrity in refusing a N4 million bribe during an investigation into alleged drug peddling and possession of ammunition by a suspected drug peddler, Esther Newman Obiekezie, also known as Candy, aged 42, residing at No 6, Mojirade Street, Ilogbo Lagos, on February 6.
The officers apprehended Esther Akete and Oke Okebalam, who attempted to bribe the police for the release of the suspected drug peddler.
According to ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, the commendation came in a statement issued on Thursday.
Adejobi’s statement stated, “Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has commended the officer in charge of the Police Tactical Team attached to Area K, Marogbo, Lagos State Command, SP Rilwan Kasumu, and team, for rejecting N4m bribe while investigating a case of drug peddling and unlawful possession of ammunition.
“The team had arrested one Esther Newman Obiekezie, aged 42, alias Candy, of No 6, Mojirade Street, Ilogbo Lagos, on February 6, 2024, at her base where she sells drugs called ICE, and recovered a large quantity of the substance and some AK47 live ammunition from her.
“In the course of the investigation, the duo of Esther Akete, aged 43, and Oke Okebalam, aged 49, of Ajamgbadi Lagos, came to the station in Ijanikin to solicit the release of the drug peddler, Esther, and offered N4m and pleaded that the police should stop disrupting the illegal business (drug peddling) of Esther, henceforth.”
Adejobi disclosed that the police officer, disapproving of the offer, seized the cash, marked it as an exhibit, and arrested the duo for further investigation and prosecution.
Previously, the Kaduna State Police Command had rejected a N1m bribe from a suspected kidnapper, Bello Mohammed, in January, with its operatives recovering N2.3m as part of the ransom collected from the victims.
Similarly, in August 2023, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Aderemi Adeoye, rewarded Inspector Charity Oyor with N250,000 for rejecting a bribe offered by a suspected armoured cable thief in Onitsha North Local Government Area of the state.
