Two suspected police deserters, Alex Akaeze, 39; and Kadiri Hassan, 45, have been arrested by the Edo State command of the Nigeria Police Force, after they were allegedly nabbed with illicit drugs worth ₦20 million.
They were arrested alongside three other suspects: Ovie Samuel (46), Stanley Itota (45), and Felix Oputi (46).
According to the State Commissioner of Police, CP Funsho Adegboye, they were apprehended 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, with 1,080 kg of ICE (hard drug).
The police CP described the two men as “fake policemen”, who operate a criminal gang that deals on illicit drugs.
However, while responding to journalists at the command’s headquarters where they were paraded, 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, and from there, I was transferred to Lagos State Command, from where we were later transferred to Alagbon in September last year, but we have yet to report for duty 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. I told them that I had an urgent arrest to make and wanted them to follow us, and they agreed.
“Although I told them that I still serve at Alagbon, 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 they suddenly changed it for us and arrested us with the drug dealers.”
On his part, Hassan Kadiri, a native of Edo State, confessed in his statement that he joined the Force in 2008 and held the rank of Inspector. He also acknowledged that he had not reported for duty at Alagbon since his transfer in February this year.
Ovie Samuel, a hotel operator from Orogun, Delta State, who was involved in the procurement of the illegal substance, vehemently denied any involvement in drug dealing.
However, when questioned about how the men were aware that he could obtain ICE for them, he was unable to provide a response.
“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.
