Mrs. Gladys Ubogu Okeoghene, a resident of Delta State, has petitioned the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) at Zone 5 Headquarters, Benin City, accusing officers of extorting her during the recovery process of two stolen vehicles.
According to Mrs. Okeoghene, her family’s GLK 350 and C400 cars were stolen in 2022 after being handed over to a mechanic, Mr. Solomon David Orshieda, for repairs. Orshieda allegedly sold the vehicles and fled to Kenya.
In October 2024, Mrs. Okeoghene sought assistance from the Nigeria Police Force (Area Command) to recover the cars. She claimed the police demanded N2,186,000 as payment for “office movement” and “tracking.” Despite paying the amount, she alleged that one of the recovered vehicles, the C400, was withheld by the police, who demanded additional money for its release.
Mrs. Okeoghene also accused the police of granting bail to the suspects, including Orshieda, without her knowledge or consultation. She further claimed that the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) handling the case had been intimidating and threatening her, leaving her without access to the recovered vehicle.
Seeking justice, Mrs. Okeoghene has called for an investigation into the matter and reached out to the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) and the US Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights in Nigeria.
However, the Delta State Police Command, led by CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, denied the allegations through Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe.
SP Edafe stated, “We arrested everyone involved and recovered one of the vehicles. The main suspect presented proof showing he purchased the cars from the woman’s son, including original customs papers sent by the son. When she discovered this, she fled with her son from the police station and started making false petitions.”
The case remains a subject of public interest as calls for a thorough investigation intensify.
