(DDM) – Two businessmen in Imo State have raised alarm over alleged extortion, harassment and intimidation by officers said to be attached to the Anti-Vice Unit of the state police command. The men are calling on the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, to urgently intervene and ensure a thorough investigation into the matter.
In separate interviews, Humphrey Onyeweke and Uzoma Nkwopara recounted what they described as traumatic encounters with individuals they identified as police officers operating in a white “Bus-Imo” vehicle. Both men alleged that the incidents occurred in January 2026 in different parts of Owerri.
Mr. Humphrey Onyeweke, a native of Lomame Umuevu in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area, said his experience occurred on January 16, 2026, around 1 a.m. in the New Owerri axis. According to him, he was driving to deliver funds connected to his Bureau de Change business when his vehicle was stopped by men he later believed to be police officers.
Onyeweke alleged that after he pulled over, the officers ordered him out of his car, confiscated his keys and mobile phone, and searched his vehicle. He claimed they took the sum of N3 million, allegedly in N200 denominations, which he said he was to deliver to a customer. He further alleged that he was threatened and ordered to flee for his safety.
He stated that he later recognised one of the officers during a follow-up interaction at the Anti-Robbery Unit, D10, of the state police command, which he said aided in identifying some of those allegedly involved.
In a separate account, Mr. Uzoma Nkwopara, a commercial bus operator from Agbala in Owerri North, alleged that he encountered the same group on January 27, 2026, along MCC Uratta Road at about 11 p.m. He claimed he was chased and stopped at gunpoint, after which his personal belongings — including his ATM card, driver’s licence, car key, phone and cash — were allegedly taken.
Nkwopara further alleged that he was later dropped off along Dick Tiger Road, while the men drove away with his ash-coloured Harjet cargo bus with registration number RLU 153 DS. He stated that he has not recovered the vehicle since the incident.
According to him, some suspects were reportedly apprehended after one of the stolen phones was tracked, leading to the discovery of a hideout.
The complainants have appealed to CP Bosso to ensure that all officers found culpable are brought to justice. They also disclosed that some members of the Anti-Vice Unit are currently facing interrogation at the Anti-Robbery Unit, D10, of the Imo State Police Command.
As of the time of filing this report, the police authorities have yet to issue an official statement addressing the specific allegations. Observers note that the outcome of the investigation will be closely watched, given ongoing public concerns about accountability and professionalism within law enforcement agencies.
