Exposed: How Nigeria Police Force is covering up corruption, abuse of office allegation in the Police Community Relations Committee

By Tosin Adesile & Damilare Adeleye

Despite various attempts to eradicate corruption in the Police Community Relation Committee (PCRC), the Nigerian Police Force under the leadership of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, has continued to aid and abet Alhaji Mogaji Ibrahim Olaniyan, the PCRC National Chairman.

Alhaji Olaniyan, alongside some top executive members of the Police Community Relations Committee, has been accused of massive misappropriation of funds belonging to the committee, manipulation of the association’s constitution as well as flagrant abuse of office, the Sparklight News can report.

It was learnt that a total sum of about sixty million, three hundred and twenty five thousand naira (N60,325,000.00) and three hundred dollars ($300) being funds realized from registration of members and issuance of identity cards, among other events, was allegedly misappropriated by the PCRC Chairman and his accomplices.

Among the misappropriated funds were twenty-nine million, six hundred and seventy-seven thousand, five hundred naira (N29,677,500) which was realized from registration of 3,957 members of PCRC for identity card (ID card), and the sum of twelve million, seven hundred and forty thousand naira (N12,740,000) which was generated through election conducted in 14 states of the federation, and the sum of three million naira (N3,000,000 ) collected for a capacity building program in Brono/Yobe State among many others, which were yet to be accounted for.

A petition dated July 21, 2023, addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, lent credence to these allegations.

The petition, filed against Alhaji Mogaji Ibrahim Olaniyan, PCRC Chairman, Amb. Mary Samuel, PCRC Deputy National Secretary, and Hon. Maina Digma Gana, PCRC National Treasurer, was filed by Omeiza Ibrahim & Co on behalf of Princess Dahiru Nana Ngozi, the National Welfare Secretary for PCRC.

In the petition, the respondents were also accused to have jointly and severally misappropriated monies realized from PCRC Christmas and Ramadan Programs, Women/Youth General Election Summit, among others.

Documents revealed that proper processes were not followed in the disbursement of various funds collected and donated to the Committee for social welfare of members.

According to the petition, “The Constitution of the PCRC, 2010 in Article 24(3 and 5) in regulating the financial expenditure of the organization provides to the effect that request for funds to incur any expenditure must be supported with all relevant documents and approvals before such monies are disbursed and that Executive Committee at various levels shall determine the approved spending limits for their officers, financial and General Purpose Committee and the Executive Committee. Our Client who is a member of the National Executive Committee states herein that this constitutional procedures were never followed by the Respondents in the disbursement of funds carried out.”

It was further learnt that the funds could have been judiciously used for social impact projects particularly for renovations of Police barracks across the country.

“These monies if judiciously applied could be channeled into meaningful projects of the PCRC and the Nigeria Police particularly that all donations to PCRC are always raise for the use of Police by telling PCRC donors that they intend to use the monies to renovate police barracks,” a part of the petition read.

“It is our brief further that the Respondents in a bid to legalized their nefarious acts have in a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the PCRC completely expunged Article 24 of the existing constitution and also attempt to smuggle in a provision in Article 1(1:3) in the proposed amendment by usurping the powers of the National Executive Committee and vesting same on the National Chairman. The Respondents are making serious efforts to garner support to making sure that this amendment is passed and thereby covering their financial atrocities and to further embolden them to continue in their iniquitous practice. They intend to achieve this in the forthcoming National Executive Committee/NEC meeting of the PCRC slated for 17th day of August, 2023. It is also our brief that the National Chairman in violation of the constitution of the PCRC does not work with the constituted executives of the PCRC but have several personal aides which he works with. He was reported to have swanked to different persons that nobody can challenge whatever he is doing because he has connection in the police including knowing the inspector General of Police. He is fond of telling people that he has worked with the IG and he can do whatever pleases him regardless of the provisions of the constitution or protest by members.

“The activities of the Respondents if not promptly investigated and stopped in their track is capable of damaging the image of the Nigeria Police particularly that PCRC derives its mandate from the Nigeria Police and also that the ID cards and other instruments of PCRC carry the logos and emblem of the Nigeria Police which makes the PCRC relevant and as such capable of defeating the purpose and the mandate of the PCRC.

“It is pertinent to reiterate here Sir that the purpose of the formation of the PCRC is not for some persons to enrich themselves but to assist the Police in their duty to protect lives and property but unfortunately, the Respondents have defeated this purpose by turning this into a money-making venture. Our client apart from being an Executive member of the PCRC have over the years made personal financial and other onerous contributions for the development of the Nigerian Police,” the petition further read.

Describing the extent of the corruption, the petitioners demanded probe into the activities of the respondents and bring them to justice if found wanting.

“We by this Petition call on you sir to use your good offices to cause a thorough investigation into the activities of the Respondents with the alms of bringing them to justice if found wanting,” the petition demanded.

In addition, the petitions called for immediate suspension of the National Working Committee Meeting and NEC meeting scheduled to hold on the 17th day of August, 2023 until the conclusion of the investigation of this Petition.

It also demanded that a “Post no Debit order be placed on the following accounts of the PCRC to forestall further unlawful transactions on the accounts: 10085575 UBA, 10234608 UBA, 21904**160,” the document, read.

It was understood that following the petition to the Inspector General of Police, a nine man committee under the chairmanship of Ambassador Wada Sadiq in 2023 was set up to look into the various allegations. And it was found out that the PCRC national chairman ordered the treasurer to signed blank cheques and this has enabled the chairman to withdrew money as he so wishes.

The Committee also found out that the petition was meritorious and recommendations were made including the need for internal audit by the Nigeria Police Force and to sanction Alhaji Olaniyan for dragging the Police Community relation Committe in the mud.

In addition to this allegation, it was discovered that the PCRC National Chairman, Alhaji Olaniyan abducted his former special assistant on Media, Abayomi Kolade whom he recruited to work for him in 2020 in Abeokuta while serving as the National Vice Chairman of South West and both relocated to Abuja after winning election of the National Chairman in 2022.

On the reason for abduction, Olaniyan has been using Abayomi Kolade for shady deals to divert a large percentage of money paid by members for ID cards which the chairman later felt his aide on media may have been stealing part of the money which led to the abduction and the need to seize relevant documents in his possession for cover up.

Following the release of his Personal assistant after 3 days, the chairman led a team of thugs to his house and cart away his properties including a car and other personal belongings as well as PCRC documents.

In one of the record obtained by Sparklight News, the Force Public Relation Office, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, during his visit to PCRC meeting noted that the force will not condone the internal crises going in the organisation and also lamented the low quality of the ID card produced. The low quality ID card is as a result of low budget place on the production while a large amount of money had been diverted for personal use by Alhaji Olaniyan.

In order to ascertain the originality of the allegation, the Sparklight News reached out the ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relation office around 8:15pm on Sunday and as at now, no response has been received.

A national officer of the PCRC, who spoke to Sparklight news, affirmed the originality of the various charges against the National Chairman and said despite the 2 million spent on a 9-man committee to sit on the issue, all recommendations were jettisoned.

“He has been travelling with the association money in and out of the country without due process,” the official disclosed.

Our source also said the national welfare secretary also wrote petition against the chairman to the IGP but nothing was done. It was also established that the Force PRO, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi has been covering the National Chairman because he is a Yoruba man and that the IGP is also from the same State.

Editor’s Note: The name of the National Officer who spoke to Sparklight News wasn’t quoted for the sources’ safety.