…Command urges journalists to verify reports, says officer linked to child’s injury remains under investigation
By: Abdullahi Inuwa
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has rejected a media report alleging extortion and harassment of residents at multiple checkpoints across the state, describing the publication as misleading and based on unverified claims.
The Command was reacting to a report by LEADERSHIP Newspaper, titled “Akwa Ibom Residents Decry Alleged Police Extortion, Harassment at Multiple Checkpoints.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, said the report relied on allegations and an estimate attributed to an unnamed retired police officer without adequately establishing the facts.
The Command argued that the presentation of such claims could create a misleading impression about police operations and personnel deployment across Akwa Ibom State.
While declining to disclose its actual personnel strength and deployment details for security reasons, the Police dismissed the retired officer’s estimated figure as inaccurate, insisting that it did not reflect the Command’s actual strength.
The Command also rejected suggestions that police presence at checkpoints along major routes meant that other communities had been abandoned.
According to the statement, police deployment is determined by prevailing security demands and operational assessments, not merely by the concentration of officers at particular locations.
The Police urged journalists to verify information about its operations with the appropriate authorities before publication, warning that reliance on speculation or information from retired personnel who may not be familiar with current developments could result in inaccurate reporting.
However, the Command maintained that it remained open to providing clarification on matters relating to its operations.
Police provide channel for extortion complaints
Addressing concerns about alleged extortion, intimidation and abuse of authority, the Command said it takes such complaints seriously and has established a Complaint Response Unit at the office of the Police Public Relations Department to receive and investigate reports.
Residents who experience extortion by police officers were urged to report directly to the unit through 08102958982.
The Command also encouraged members of the public to submit complaints to any senior police officer, noting that the contact details of senior officers were already available publicly.
It assured residents that complaints would be examined and that any officer found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary and legal action.
The Police, however, stressed that allegations against individual officers must be supported by evidence and subjected to due process rather than treated as proof of widespread misconduct across the entire Command.
Investigation into child’s injury ongoing
On the reported injury to a child allegedly involving a police officer, the Command described the incident as a serious matter and recalled that it had earlier announced the arrest and detention of the officer for investigation.
It added that the findings and outcome of the investigation would be made public soon.
The Command reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property throughout Akwa Ibom State while ensuring that its personnel are held accountable for any proven misconduct.
The statement was signed by DSP Timfon John, Police Public Relations Officer, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command.
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