A police Inspector, Ekperi Edwin Osuo, attached to the Zonal Intelligence Bureau (ZIB), Zone 16 headquarters, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, has alleged that the Zone 16 police authorities are protecting a suspect who was arrested for attempting to kill him.
He said the suspect attacked and shot him while he was returning home from work in August 2022.
Inspector Ekperi Edwin Osuo, attached to the Zonal Intelligence Bureau (ZIB) at Zone 16 headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has alleged that senior police officers in the zone are protecting a suspect who attempted to kill him. The inspector, who was shot in August 2022, accused some officers of collecting bribes to release the suspect rather than prosecuting him.
Inspector Osuo claims that Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Albert Williams, attached to the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department (ZCID), took ₦200,000 from a politician, Mr. Mike Olomu, to release the suspect on bail. According to Osuo, this decision was endorsed by senior officers, including the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Zone 16, who then asked him to re-arrest the suspect.
Recalling the incident, Inspector Osuo stated that on August 21, 2022, he was attacked and shot by suspected robbers on his way home in Akenfa 3, Yenagoa. They stole his Infinix Note 12i phone, valued at ₦110,000, leaving him in critical condition. A good Samaritan rushed him to a hospital, where he underwent major surgery to remove bullets and repair damage to his abdomen, liver, and spleen.
Osuo later tracked his stolen phone to a soldier, who confessed to buying it from another man, Iliyasu Isa, in Sagbama Local Government Area. The military apprehended Iliyasu and handed him over to the police in November 2023. However, Inspector Osuo alleges that instead of charging Iliyasu to court, ASP Williams released him after collecting ₦200,000, claiming the money was for investigative “mobilization.”
Speaking to Chronicles Reporters, Inspector Osuo expressed frustration over the treatment of his case. He said, “It’s disheartening that my colleagues in the police force are more concerned about protecting the suspect than securing justice for me. Despite suffering severe injuries and undergoing life-saving surgery, I am still battling with nine pellets lodged in my body, and I need further medical attention.”
When Osuo questioned ASP Williams about the case, he was informed that the suspect was released on the instructions of the DCP and AIG due to “health reasons.” Attempts to escalate the matter to higher authorities have been unsuccessful. “The DCP told me they didn’t need to consult me before granting bail. I feel abandoned by the system that should protect me,” he lamented.
In response, Zone 16’s Public Relations Officer, Ikwo Kevin Lafieghe, denied the allegations of bribery. She stated that the ₦200,000 was provided by a friend of the suspect to fund the police team’s trip to Delta State for further investigation. She also claimed the suspect was released on health grounds but has been reporting to the police regularly as required.
According to Lafieghe, the case is still under investigation. “We empathize with Inspector Osuo and assure him that the matter has not been swept under the carpet. Any misunderstanding will be addressed, and justice will be served,” she said.
Inspector Osuo, however, remains skeptical. “An injury to one is an injury to all. Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said, calling on concerned individuals to help him secure justice.
