IGP Orders Major Shake-Up, Removes Six MOPOL Commanders Over ₦70,000 Extortion

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has removed six Commanding Officers of Mobile Police (MOPOL) and Operations units deployed to TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following allegations of extortion.

According to reports by SaharaReporters, the officers were removed last week after a police investigative panel set up by the IGP allegedly indicted them over claims that personnel under their command were required to pay ₦70,000 monthly as kickbacks.

Sources familiar with the matter told the publication on Thursday that the disciplinary action followed an earlier report detailing allegations of extortion, abuse of office and poor welfare among officers assigned to the special duty.

One source said the investigation initially faced difficulties because some of the affected officers were reportedly reluctant to speak openly for fear of repercussions.

“Following SaharaReporters’ publication, the IGP constituted a panel from Abuja to investigate the high-profile extortion allegations,” the source said.

The source added that while officers initially denied the allegations when the panel visited, some later submitted documentary evidence to investigators after the team had returned to Abuja.

According to the source, the evidence prompted the police authorities to remove and replace all six Commanding Officers.

“Last week, the six commanding officers were removed and replaced, while officers they used in collecting the extortion money were recommended for trial,” the source said.

The source further alleged that the affected commanders were lobbying against the prosecution of officers accused of collecting the money on their behalf.

It was also suggested that the removed commanders could be redeployed from MOPOL to conventional police formations in various state commands.

The development followed a June 8 report by SaharaReporters in which officers attached to TotalEnergies accused their commanders of running what they described as an organised extortion scheme.

The personnel alleged that after TotalEnergies approved an increase in their special duty allowances, the six commanders instructed Special Duty Administrators to collect ₦70,000 from each officer every month as compulsory “returns.”

One of the officers said the allowance increase, which personnel had welcomed, was quickly followed by the alleged deductions.

The officer claimed that personnel received ₦220,000 as the revised allowance but were subsequently ordered to return ₦70,000 each month, with those who refused allegedly threatened with removal from the deployment.

The allegations have prompted disciplinary action within the police hierarchy, although the claims remain allegations pending the conclusion of the relevant proceedings.