Police in a rare feat return N5.92m after deceased officers families got N22m
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Police have recovered N5,927,120 from armed robbers and returned the entire sum to the family of John Okeke of 74B Rukuba Road in Bassa Council in Plateau who was attacked on 22 May.
Plateau Police Commissioner Bartholomew Onyeka returned the money on 4 July, a rare occurrence in a Nigeria Police notorious for turning crime victims into suspects and extorting money from them.
Police handed Okeke his money three weeks after Inspector General of Police Usman Baba presented cheques worth more than N22 million to families of police officers in Plateau who died in active service.
Okeke was a victim of armed robbery on Fuskan Mata-Jengre Road which claimed the life Laraba Ibrahim, according to a statement issued by Plateau police spokesman Alfred Alabo, a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
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Distress call
After the incident occurred on May 22, Jengre Divisional Police headquarters received a distress call.
Divisional Police Officer Alobo John, a Superintendent of Police, mobilised his patrol team, raced to the scene, rescued Okeke, and restored normalcy to the area.
Ibrahim was confirmed dead on arrival as a result of a gunshot wound she received from the terrorists, according to the statement, per reporting by The Nation.
The robbers ran away but the money was recovered for Okeke who was in transit from Saminaka in Kaduna to Jos in Plateau.
Deceased police officers’ families receive N22m
Alkali presented the N22 million cheques to the families of deceased police officers on 24 June at a ceremony in Jos where he was represented by Onyeka.
A statement issued by Alabo quoted Alkali as saying the payment was in support of families of gallant officers who died in active service to enable the families earn a living.
“We understand the plight of families of men who died in active service and this laudable commitment to ensuring that they get what is due to them without further delay.
“The sacrifice of their breadwinners cannot be quantified with anything and so I wish to advise you to make good use of the money to address your needs and challenges,” Alkali said, per Pulse Nigeria.
Nankin Njin, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked him for the gesture and gave an assurance that the money would be put to good use.