The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has justified the dismissal of a former Inspector, Edith Uduma, who was recently dismissed for her act of gross misconduct and complicity in an alleged rape of a 17-year-old female suspect by Abraham Uzuobo in Edo State.
This comes following a viral video on social media, where a police sergeant was alleged to have raped a female suspect in the station on October 7, 2024, when former police Inspector, Edith Uduma was the Charge Room Officer (CRO) on duty.
In a statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi on Wednesday, the video emerged online a week after the occurrence, and a thorough investigation into the matter conducted by the Edo State Police Command revealed 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.
“During the act, Uduma had walked in and recorded the act. However, instead of immediately making a documented entry on the matter in the Incident Record of the Station which was under her charge, and thereafter reporting the incident to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for disciplinary actions 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 whom conspired to unlawfully demand the sum of One Million Naira (₦1,000,000) from the Sergeant to assist him in concealing the matter.
“However, the Sergeant offered only ₦45,000 in cash which they collected at that instance and after a few days, contacted the Sergeant to request the same sum of ₦1,000,000, 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,” the statement reads in part.
ACP Adejobi disclosed that everyone culpable in the case has been sanctioned appropriately as there is no intention to impede justice, stressing that the erring sergeant has been dismissed and prosecuted, and is currently in prison custody as the trial progresses.
The statement added: “Inspector Edith Uduma was also dismissed for her role, while her complicit husband has been reduced to the rank of Sergeant. However, it has come to the attention of the Force 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.”
“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, attempt to conceal an offender for benefit, participation in extortion and manipulating the justice process for personal gain.”
The security agency noted that it stands firmly against any form of misconduct under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, particularly in cases of such grave nature involving vulnerable victims.
The police also emphasised that it maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, blackmail, and any behavior that seeks to pervert the cause of justice.
It further explained that the actions of the dismissed officer were in direct violation of the values and standards upheld by the security agency and other extant laws of Nigeria.
