The Nigeria Police Force’s Ebonyi State Command has dismissed as false a social media allegation that its Commissioner of Police ordered the collection of ₦700,000 each from six families in exchange for releasing their arrested sons.
The claim, made in an online post by one Justice Ozobi, alleged that the arrests followed orders from a traditional ruler and that money was demanded for the suspects’ freedom. In a press statement issued Tuesday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, rejected the allegation outright, describing it as “false, unfounded, and without basis.”
According to the statement, the Command noted that the post contained numerous errors and inconsistencies, and pointed out that the image accompanying the allegation actually depicted a former, long-retired Commissioner of Police rather than the current officeholder — a detail the Command said undermined the credibility of the claim.
Police also clarified that the Command does not handle land disputes, and said any suggestion linking the Commissioner or the Command to money collected over a land-related matter was baseless. The statement characterised the allegation as a serious and malicious attempt to damage the Commissioner’s reputation and distract from ongoing security efforts in the state.
The Command reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism and accountability, stating that any genuine misconduct complaint backed by credible evidence would be investigated. It went further, challenging Ozobi to produce proof for his claims rather than publishing what it called unsubstantiated allegations aimed at generating online engagement.
Police also appealed to the public to exercise caution when sharing information on social media, warning that while citizens have a right to raise genuine concerns, the deliberate spread of false or defamatory content would not be tolerated. The Command said it would pursue appropriate legal action against those found to be circulating misleading information about its operations.
