Police investigate four officers over alleged illegal extradition request

Four Police officers, including a female, are being investigated for allegedly seeking illegal extradition of a Nigerian based in the United Kingdom (UK).A reliable source from the Inspector General Police (IGP) X-Squad, a unit that investigates wrongdoings of Police personnel, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), yesterday, that the IGP, Mohammed Adamu, directed the investigation, followed a petition by one Bankole Ogunnowo, who claimed that the four officers illegally sought his extradition from the UK to Nigeria over a family matter.

“We received a letter directing X-Squad Section to handle the officers’ case. Signals have been sent across to the officers to interview the Compol X-Squad (physical appearance for interrogation by the Commissioner of Police X-Squad).“The interview will enable us to obtain statements from them too. The complainant’s lawyer has been invited by the unit for the matter,’’ the source disclosed.

Apart from the X-Squad’s investigation, the Nigeria Police Force Complaints Unit also received a petition from Ogunnowo.Head of the unit, Markus Ishaka Basiran, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), said the Force would not condone any wrongdoing, adding that the unit took actions as soon as it received Ogunnowo’s complaint.

However, when contacted, the Force spokesman, Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), said: “I have no information on such an investigation, therefore, I can’t confirm it.”Mba, had earlier said the Force did not have any record of extradition request against the petitioner, noting that for anyone to be extradited, security agencies from the two countries affected must be involved in the investigation of the alleged crime.

According to him, marital issues would not attract extradition, except if serious crimes, such as murder and fraud, were involved.Ogunnowo had claimed that the four Police officers had unlawfully requested for his extradition from the UK over his conflict with his ex-wife, saying: “On October 21, this year, a UK court delivered its verdict, denying the extradition request, as all allegations against me were found to be false.”He said the extradition request was defective and did not follow due process, urging the IGP to bring to book those allegedly involved.

“I believe the IGP will fish out those who conspired to send the extradition request to the UK without following due process.“The same officers have been extorting money from me,” he alleged.