Inspector Edith Uduma, a female police officer in Edo State, who was dismissed by the command after exposing an alleged rape incident in the police station, has accused the command of unjust dismissal.
In November, the Edo State Police Command said the dismissal of the whistleblower officer for exposing Sgt. Abraham (who was also dismissed) was in order.
The development came following a viral clip in October showing the suspected officer, Abraham, in a compromising position with a 17-year-old girl in an office.
The Police Public Relations Office, Moses Yamu, said in a statement in early November that the female police officer who captured the incident took advantage of the situation to try to extort money from Abraham while co-opting her husband, one Inspector Ibrahim Mohammed, in the scheme.
The statement had read, “The Edo State Police Command deems it necessary to set the records straight regarding this subject matter.
“That contrary to reports from certain quarters, the said female police officer, AP/no 228719 Insp. Edith Uduma, was the Charge Room Officer (CRO) on October 7, 2024, the night F/No. 504694 Sgt Abraham allegedly raped a female suspect in the station.
“The female officer, instead of reporting the incident to the Divisional Police Officer or the Incident Duty Officer as the case may be, for disciplinary actions to be initiated against the erring officer, took advantage of the situation to enrich herself by calling her husband, AP No. 228652 Insp. Ibrahim Mohammed, whom she conspired with to unlawfully demand the sum of N1m from the sergeant to assist him conceal the matter.”
The statement disclosed that the Sergeant offered only N45,000 and that dissatisfied with his offer, they decided to report the erring officer to the DPO and also share the video on social media.
“Following these events, an orderly room trial was initiated against all the officers, which led to the dismissal of Sgt. Abraham and Insp Edith Uduma.”
But in an interview with BREAKINGNG at the weekend, the dismissed officer said she was not given any fair hearing in the matter, adding that she “never extorted money” from the said officer who allegedly attempted the rape.
She added, “What the Edo Command is writing up and down is not what really what happened. They are doing these because I don’t have anybody and I don’t have rank to seek justice. They cannot just dismiss like this. It’s unfair, I did not do anything.
“They know the person that posted that video online and made it to go viral. Abuja is still busy investigating this matter, but the Edo command now went ahead and dismissed me because they know it would involve three or four officers and I have been crying and nobody wants to come to my aid.
“They dismissed me on 14th of October, 2024, and I have all evidence of writing up and down explaining what did not happen. I am new to the command following my transfer from Enugu. I had only spent three weeks at the Edo Division when the incident happened.”
“I want justice. My dismissal is unjust,” she cried out.
