Police authorities in Imo have dismissed three officers over their involvement in armed robbery, kidnapping and car snatching.
The affected officers were identified as Sgt. Ekwueme Gift, Sgt. Eto Ikechukwu and Cpl. Divine Ogwuaru.
They were dismissed following an orderly room trial which found them guilty of the offences levelled against them, including impersonation.
One Elias Chukwu, a civilian who allegedly acted as the driver during the operation, has also been charged alongside the dismissed officers.
The suspects allegedly carried out the criminal act on February 8, 2026, along Mbaise Road in Owerri, where they reportedly robbed residents at gunpoint and snatched a vehicle.
The stolen vehicle was later tracked to the Owerri-Onitsha Road while the suspects were allegedly on their way to dispose of it before they were apprehended.
Police sources disclosed that the dismissed officers were not officially detailed for patrol on the day of the incident and had falsely presented themselves as members of the Tiger Base Unit of the Command while perpetrating the crime.
The offences were found to be contrary to Paragraph E (i) and (iii) of the First Schedule of the Police Act and Regulation 370, punishable under Regulation 371 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, as amended.
State Police Commissioner, CP Audu Bosso, who reiterated his administration’s zero tolerance for corruption and unprofessional conduct, directed the Command’s Legal Department to ensure the immediate arraignment of the suspects in court.
“It will no longer be business as usual for erring officers in this command. Any officer found culpable of misconduct or criminality will face the full weight of the law,” he said.
Bosso urged members of the public to provide credible information that would assist the Command in sanitising the system, assuring that more officers under investigation will face similar disciplinary action if found guilty.
Police Public Relations Officer for the Command, DSP Henry Okoye, explained that the officers were swiftly apprehended, thoroughly investigated and summarily dismissed in line with extant laws guiding the conduct of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.
Okoye added that the suspects have to be charged to court to answer for the charges levelled against them.
The PPRO noted that the action underscores the Command’s commitment to accountability, professionalism and restoration of public confidence.
He further encouraged residents to report cases of police misconduct through its Complaint Response Unit Desk line: 08148024755, assuring that all reports would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
