From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja has announced the dismissal of one Edith Uduma, a former Police Inspector, from service.
Uduma was dismissed for her act of gross misconduct and complicity in a case surrounding the alleged rape of a 17-year-old female suspect by one Abraham Uzuobo.
Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who made this known, noted that following her dismissal, Mrs Edith has made numerous unfounded claims regarding her innocence and has sought to taint the reputation and integrity of the adjudicating authority, the Inspector-General of Police in person, and the entire Police Force.
Recall that in a video that went viral on social media, where a Police Sergeant was alleged to have raped a female suspect in the station on 7 October 2024, former Police Inspector Edith Uduma was the Charge Room Officer (CRO) on duty. The video emerged online one week after the occurrence.
Adejobi, in a statement, said a thorough investigation into the matter conducted by the Edo State Police Command uncovered that the Police Sergeant, identified as Sgt Abraham Uzuobo, had removed the victim from the cell and taken her to an unoccupied office, where he attempted to engage in sexual acts with her.
He said that during the act, Uduma had walked in and recorded it. However, instead of immediately making a documented entry on the matter in the Station’s Incident Record, which was under her charge, and thereafter reporting the incident to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for disciplinary action to be initiated against the erring officer, she took advantage of the situation to enrich herself by calling her husband, Ibrahim Mohammed, who was also a Police Inspector. Both of them conspired to unlawfully demand the sum of one million naira (N1,000,000) from the Sergeant to assist him in concealing the matter. However, the Sergeant offered only N45,000 in cash, which they collected at that instance. After a few days, they contacted the Sergeant to request the same sum of N1,000,000, but the Sergeant refused to comply.
Dissatisfied by his refusal to follow through with the blackmail, they decided to report the erring officer to the DPO and also simultaneously share the video on social media.
Adejobi said, “Everyone culpable in this case has been sanctioned appropriately as there is no intention to impede justice. The erring Sergeant has been dismissed and prosecuted and is currently in prison custody as the trial progresses. Inspector Edith Uduma was also dismissed for her role, while her complicit husband has been reduced to the rank of Corporal.
“It is imperative to set the record straight and provide clear context regarding her actions and the decision to dismiss her from service. The dismissal of former Police Inspector Edith Uduma was not only justified but necessary, based on thorough investigations that presented irrefutable evidence of her failure to follow standard incident report protocol to immediately document the incident, her attempt to conceal an offender for benefit, participation in extortion and manipulating the justice process for personal gain.
“The Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, stands firmly against any form of misconduct, particularly in cases of such a grave nature involving vulnerable victims. The Force maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, blackmail, and any behaviour that seeks to pervert the course of justice. The actions of the dismissed officer were in direct violation of the values and standards upheld by the Nigeria Police Force and other extant laws of Nigeria.
“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to transparency and accountability. The Force remains resolute in its mission to uphold the law and protect the rights of all individuals. We urge members of the public to disregard the sponsored publications against the stance of the Force and remain vigilant and support legitimate initiatives aimed at achieving justice, rather than being led astray by baseless claims from those seeking to deflect responsibility for their actions.”