The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed Inspector Edith Uduma over her involvement in covering up a rape incident at the South-Ibie police station in Edo state.
The incident, which involved Sergeant Abraham Uzuobo and a 17-year-old female detainee, has drawn widespread condemnation after a video surfaced online, showing Uzuobo hurriedly dressing while the victim lay on a chair inside the station.
The victim, who had been arrested for allegedly receiving stolen property, was reportedly assaulted by Uzuobo in a room at the police station.
The disturbing video that went viral in October showed Uzuobo confronting a female officer for recording the incident, which led to further investigations into the matter.
Uduma, who was the charge room officer (CRO) on duty at the time, is accused of attempting to conceal the crime.
Rather than reporting the incident to higher authorities, Uduma reportedly contacted her husband, Inspector Ibrahim Mohammed, for assistance.
The couple allegedly demanded a N1 million bribe from Uzuobo in exchange for covering up the incident.
According to Muyiwa Adejobi, NPF spokesperson, Uzuobo offered N45,000 in cash, which the couple accepted.
However, when they later demanded the full bribe amount of N1 million, Uzuobo refused, leading to further blackmail attempts.
In retaliation, Uduma and her husband reportedly reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and released the video to social media.
The police force acted swiftly, dismissing both Uduma and Uzuobo.
Uzuobo has been prosecuted and is currently in prison awaiting trial.
Uduma’s husband, Ibrahim Mohammed, was also demoted to the rank of sergeant.
Despite her dismissal, Uduma has reportedly made claims of innocence and attempted to tarnish the reputation of the Nigeria Police Force, including the Inspector-General of Police.
However, Adejobi emphasized that the investigation was thorough and the decision to dismiss Uduma was well-supported by the evidence, which revealed her failure to follow proper incident reporting protocols, her involvement in extortion, and her manipulation of the justice process for personal gain.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts of the Nigeria Police Force to maintain integrity within its ranks and ensure accountability for those who abuse their positions of power.