The dismissal of former Inspector Edith Uduma from the Nigeria Police Force has ignited a storm of controversy, as the officer alleges injustice following her exposure of an alleged rape incident involving a colleague, Sergeant Abraham, at a police station in Edo State.
Uduma, who is now in hiding, has accused the Edo State Police Command of orchestrating her dismissal to silence her after she leaked a viral video showing Abraham in a compromising position with a 17-year-old girl at the South Ibie Police Station.
The footage sparked outrage as Abraham was seen hurriedly dressing, while the teenager lay on a chair in the same room.
The Edo Police Command, however, dismissed Uduma after an orderly room trial, alleging that she conspired with her husband, Inspector Ibrahim Mohammed, to demand ₦1 million from Abraham to suppress the evidence.
The police claimed that when Abraham offered only ₦45,000, the video was leaked. Both Uduma and Abraham were dismissed, while Uduma’s husband was demoted to the rank of Sergeant.
In a statement, the command accused Uduma of failing to report the incident to senior officers, instead using the situation for personal gain.
Uduma has refuted the extortion allegations, maintaining her innocence and claiming she was denied a fair hearing.
According to the PUNCH,she said her dismissal was the result of lacking influential connections within the force.
“What the Edo Command is saying is not what happened. They know I have no rank or support to fight back,” she lamented.
Uduma further alleged that the Force Headquarters in Abuja is still investigating the case, but the Edo Command rushed to dismiss her prematurely.
She threatened to poison herself and her children if justice is not served, citing fear of persecution and her inability to see her family.
“If Nigerians refuse to listen to me, I will just poison all my children and myself. I will die. Because I’m just stranded like this,” she said.
She also claimed that the Divisional Police Officer at the station encouraged her to demand the ₦1 million as a ruse to lure Abraham out of hiding.
The incident has attracted the attention of the a human rights organization, Take It Back Movement, which has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to review Uduma’s dismissal.
In its petition titled “Petition for Review and Reinstatement, Unjust Dismissal from Nigeria Police Force”, the group described the action against Uduma and her husband as unjust and potentially harmful to investigations.
“Instead of commending her actions, she was dismissed, and her husband was arrested and detained,” the group stated, calling for a thorough review of the case.
The case has sparked public debate, with many criticizing the police for allegedly punishing a whistleblower instead of addressing the core issue of misconduct.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Moses Yamu, has not responded to requests for comment.
Efforts to contact the retired DPO of the South Ibie station, SP Lilian Osemwegie, were unsuccessful, as her purported phone number was answered by an unidentified individual denying any connection.
