25th April, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
Police operatives in Edo have arrested two suspected police deserters, Alex Akaeze (39), Kadiri Hassan (45) and three others over unlawful possession of 1,080 kg of ICE (hard drug) with street value of ₦20 million.
The other suspects are, Ovie Samuel (46) Stanley Itota (45) Felix Oputi (46).
They were arrested by operatives of Command’s Intelligence and Rapid Response Squad at a Guest House operated by one of the suspects, (Ovie), at No 5, Colobus Street, off Upper Mission Extension Road, Benin City.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Funsho Adegboye, described the two men as “fake policemen”, who operate a criminal gang that deals on illicit drugs.
In an interview with journalists, Alex Akaeze said:
“I am an Inspector of Police. I was enlisted in 2009, I started in Ketu, from there to SARS. I was transferred to Zamfara, but I did not go. I worked myself back to Zone 2, from there I was transferred to Lagos State Command, from where we were later transferred to Alagbon since September last year, but we yet to report for, ǹduty there.
“These two officers [Command operatives], are our colleagues, we worked together in IRT, I have their phone numbers and I called them before I came down from Lagos and I told them that I have an urgent arrest to make and wanted them to follow us and they agreed.
“Although I told the that I still serve at Alagbon, but I didn’t tell them the truth that we have not reported for duty there. We were with them in their office yesterday and they led us to make the arrest.
“We were however surprised that the suddenly changed it for us and arrested us with the drug dealers.”
In his confessional statement, the Edo State-born Hassan Kadiri who claimed to have joined the Force in 2008, and on the rank of Inspector, also admitted that he was yet to report to duty at Alagbon when he was transferred since February this year.
Ovie Samuel, the indigene of Orogun, Delta State-hotel operator who procured the hard drug, denied ever dealing on hard drugs.
But, when asked how the men knew that he could procure ICE for them, he could not give an answer.
“The people called me and said that they needed ICE and I called my brother in Delta state to bring it for them, only for them to reveal their real identities that they are policemen,” he said.