Nigerians, I Deserve Commendation and not Blackmail !
My story:
(1)
On 21st January 2023, one Barr. Nweke and one M/S Onyinye Ekwueme came to my office, and the Barr Nweke stated that his clients, one Chibuike Ekwueme and Tochukwu Ekwueme (brothers to the Onyinye Ekwueme), were arrested by JTF on 11th January 2023, and till today (21st January, 2023), they do not know their whereabouts. He also stated that money was being taken from his client’s bank account to the sum of over 100 million by unauthorised persons.
(2) When the lawyer and the sister to Ekweme came to my office, I took them before the AIG, Abutu Yaro. AIG Abutu Yaro then called CP Echeng Echeng, the Compol Anambra State and asked if an individual Chibuike Ekwueme was in their custody. The CP then said, let him find out and call back.
The CP eventually called the AIG back and said, yes, that the person was in their custody. The AIG queried, are you aware that money is being taken from the suspect's account and that the families are not even aware that they are in RRS custody?
(3)
The then AIG, then directed the Commissioner of Police (CP) to release OC RRS Awkuzu to come to him AIG so that he will interview him. When the OC RRS Awkuzu arrived at the zone, he met with me first as the ZPRO, and then I took him before the AIG for the interview.
(4)
At Zone, the OC RRS, CSP Patrick Agbazue, confirmed that suspects were with him and that he was aware money was withdrawn from the account and that it was stolen by the Youth Corps member serving in their office by the name Mr Nnamdi Daniel Emeh, aka Nelson.
(5)
I queried CSP Patrick Agbazue, who was in charge of RRS Awkuzu, about the whereabouts of the corper, Nnamdi Emeh. He said he was at large and nowhere to be found. The numbers were turned off except his WhatsApp app. I dialed his number; it was switched off. I called him on WhatsApp; he didn’t pick.
(6)
The lawyer provided all debit alerts from his client’s account, which he said were given to him by the account officer of the suspect, Chibuike Ekwueme.
(7)
He went further to say that they had gone to the Military and the DSS in search of them but couldn’t find them. The reason they were in Zone 13 was because the RRS Awkuzu refused them access.
(8)
My focus was on multiple options including getting the main suspect, Nnamdi Emeh whose whereabouts was unknown as at that time.
(9)
As the then Zonal PRO of zone 13, I was worried about the image of the force with the alleged moving money from the suspect bank account. So, I was all out to make sure that those behind the act were tracked.
(10)
After two working days, he, Nnamdi Emeh called me through WhatsApp. He echoed, “Madam, good day.” I responded, “Nelson, where are you?” He said he was somewhere. I asked him what happened to the suspect’s money. He said the money was with CSP Patrick. I asked him to come to the office and meet the AIG so that whatever it was could be sorted out. He said he couldn’t come to Awka because CSP Patrick would kill him.
(11)
In the presence of the PA, while the phone was on loudspeaker, I told him, “If Patrick kills you, his own life dey mountain ni?” At that point, he started revealing all sorts of allegations against CSP Patrick and the office. I told him at that point that if he liked, he could blackmail CSP Patrick to heaven, that I did not care, and that the essence of my call was for him to appear in my office, as the Anambra Police Command name and the state were at the verge of caricature.
(12)
Barr Nweke and the lady, Onyinye Ekwueme (sister of suspects), came to my office every day with some other women and also disturbed me with calls to find out if I already knew their brothers’ whereabouts. It was after 3 days precisely, on 25th January, that they were given access to their brothers. And on 27th January, bail was granted to Tochukwu Ekwueme, while his brother Chibuike, who was the main suspect as alleged, remained with the RRS.