The Nigeria Police Force recently defended its decision to dismiss Inspector Edith Uduma due to gross misconduct and her involvement in an alleged rape case of a 17-year-old female suspect by Sergeant Abraham Uzuobo in Edo State. The dismissal stemmed from a viral video that surfaced showing Uzuobo in a compromising position with the teenager at a police station in South Ibie, Edo State.
The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, emphasized that Uduma’s dismissal was a result of thorough investigations revealing her failure to adhere to due process. It was noted that she attempted to conceal the offense for personal gain, leading to her dismissal.
Adejobi clarified that Uduma’s actions following her dismissal, where she made claims of innocence to tarnish the reputation of the Inspector-General of Police and the Police Force, were baseless. The investigation found that Uduma, as the Charge Room Officer on duty when the incident occurred, failed to report the matter promptly and instead sought personal gain by collaborating with her husband to extort money from the erring officer.
The investigation conducted by the Edo State Police Command revealed that Uzuobo had removed the victim from the cell to an unoccupied office, where he attempted to engage in sexual acts with her. Uduma walked in during the act but chose to record it instead of documenting it in the Incident Record of the station and reporting it for disciplinary actions.
Uduma and her husband attempted to extort money from Uzuobo but only received a fraction of the demanded sum before escalating the matter by reporting it to the Divisional Police Officer and sharing the video online. Both Uduma and her husband faced consequences for their actions, with Uduma being dismissed, and her husband demoted to the rank of Sergeant.
The Police Force assured that justice was being served, with Uzuobo being dismissed and prosecuted, currently in prison custody as the trial progresses. All individuals involved in the case faced appropriate sanctions to uphold the integrity of the Force and ensure accountability.