The Rivers State Police Command has denied a widely shared article that claimed three of its officers—who were detained for kidnapping and extorting two young men—were allowed to roam the streets without being prosecuted. The command described the article as nasty and untrue.
According to the command spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, this information was based on a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Delta State House of Assembly Labour Party candidate Harrison Gwamnishu.
The statement read, “We wish to categorically state that the allegation is false, malicious, and misleading.
“The officers in question, namely ASP Doubara Edonyabo, ASP Talent Mungo, and Inspector Odey Michael, are currently in detention at the Rivers State Criminal Investigation Department and are undergoing the standard disciplinary process of the Police.
“Furthermore, the accused officers participated in an identification parade held at the State Criminal Investigation Department on February 2, 2024, in connection with another complaint against them.
“We urge the general public to disregard the publication, as we will provide updates on the outcome of the disciplinary committee in due course”.
The state Commissioner of Police, CP Tunji Disu strongly condemned the false report emphasizing the need for responsible journalism.
Disu calls on media organizations and personnel to act professionally and provide accurate information, as the public relies on them for factual news.
“It is important to note that the person who tweeted, as expected of a reasonable reporter, failed to obtain the reaction of the Police Public Relations Officer.
“The CP demands responsible reportage to ensure the public is not misled.
“We appreciate your cooperation in disseminating this corrected information to the public”, Iringe-Koko stated.
