SFU: Rights Group Urges IGP to Probe Alleged Interference by DIG Zango
By Primetime Reports
A fresh controversy has erupted within the Nigeria Police Force over allegations of financial misconduct involving officers of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Milverton, Lagos, prompting a Lagos-based human rights group to call on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, to order a thorough investigation into the matter.
The controversy followed an online publication alleging that an Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sylvester Azubuike; the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of the Legal Section of the PSFU, Sa’idu Murtala Usman; and the Commissioner of Police (CP), PSFU, Eloho Edwin Okpoziakpo, were implicated in an alleged N32 million financial matter linked to a criminal case reportedly spanning 15 years.
The publication also alleged that the officers were under investigation by the Office of the Inspector-General of Police and claimed that the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Department of Research and Planning, Zango Ibrahim Baba, was the officer who initiated the allegations.
Reacting to the report, the human rights group, Nigeria Now, urged the IGP to investigate both the allegations and the alleged role of DIG Zango in the unfolding dispute.
In a statement issued in Lagos and signed by its leader, Awudu Joseph, the group alleged that DIG Zango had repeatedly attempted to compel CP Okpoziakpo to issue disciplinary queries to some officers over a case handled in 2019, several years before the current commissioner was posted to the Special Fraud Unit.
According to the group, shortly after CP Okpoziakpo assumed duty at the PSFU, DIG Zango allegedly began pressuring him to query the ACP in charge of the Legal Section and the Investigating Police Officer involved in a case which the DIG claimed he had investigated and prosecuted about 17 years earlier.
The group alleged that DIG Zango accused the officers of withdrawing the matter from court without informing the complainant.
It stated that CP Okpoziakpo, in his supervisory capacity, immediately invited the ACP (Legal) for an explanation. The officer reportedly requested permission to present the case file for review.
According to Nigeria Now, the CP’s review of the file revealed several petitions challenging the charges filed against one of the defendants.
The group further alleged that the review raised concerns that a suspect in the original complaint had later become the complainant, while the initial complainant had been turned into a suspect.
It also claimed that one of those charged had no direct involvement in the alleged offence other than providing genuine collateral for an N18 million loan obtained by another individual. According to the group, after the borrower defaulted, the woman redeemed the collateral by paying more than N22 million, yet she was still charged.
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Nigeria Now maintained that, contrary to claims that the matter had lingered for 15 years, the case was filed in 2019 and was withdrawn from court in December 2025 for further investigation following numerous complaints.
The group questioned why DIG Zango allegedly did not seek disciplinary action against the two previous commissioners who headed the unit before CP Okpoziakpo’s appointment.
It further alleged that the case was withdrawn by the then Commissioner of Police, Aderonke, now an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), after seeking legal advice from the ACP (Legal). Based on the legal opinion, the commissioner reportedly directed that the matter be withdrawn for further investigation.
According to the statement, CP Okpoziakpo later attempted to brief DIG Zango on the reasons for the withdrawal but was allegedly denied the opportunity to explain.
The group claimed that the commissioner was advised to visit Abuja with the case file to brief the DIG, but alleged that DIG Zango insisted the disciplinary queries must first be issued.
Nigeria Now further alleged that CP Okpoziakpo subsequently informed the supervising DIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) of the situation. According to the group, the DIG, FCID, instructed that the matter be discussed directly with her.
However, the group claimed that DIG Zango declined, allegedly stating that the DIG, FCID, was his junior officer and insisting that the queries be issued. It further alleged that he threatened to damage the commissioner’s career.
The statement added that after informing the DIG, FCID, of the alleged response, CP Okpoziakpo was directed not to issue the queries.
Nigeria Now said the circumstances surrounding the case and the subsequent disagreement over its handling deserved an impartial investigation to establish the facts.
The group alleged that DIG Zango had interfered with the administration of the Special Fraud Unit and urged the Inspector-General of Police to intervene.
“DIG Zango has been threatening and interfering with the work of the Commissioner of Police, PSFU. It is a good thing that the Inspector-General of Police is said to be investigating the matter. A review of the case file will help establish the true circumstances surrounding the case,” the statement added.
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