Photo: SP Bright Edafe, Delta State Police PRO.
There has been widespread outrage on social media following allegations that officers of the Ekpan Division of the Delta State Police Command extorted a N500,000 bribe as bail from a woman arrested for drug trafficking alongside her 11-year-old daughter, Rejoice.
The suspect, 45-year-old Esther Ugbologbo, was arrested after her daughter was found in possession of various hard drugs while riding in a commercial tricycle along Jakpa Road in the Uvwie Local Government Area.
In a video released by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, Ugbologbo confessed to sending her daughter to collect drugs worth approximately N100,000 on the day of the arrest. According to her, she had been involved in the drug trade for about two years.
Recovered substances included tramadol, codeine, Swynol, and a sexual performance enhancer known as Black Diamond. Ugbologbo claimed she consumed some of the drugs for “health reasons” while selling the rest to internet fraudsters, commonly referred to as “yahoo boys.”
While the initial arrest received commendation due to the involvement of a minor in the illicit trade, public attention quickly shifted to allegations of misconduct by the arresting officers. Reports claim the suspect was released after paying N500,000 in bail — a payment that contradicts Nigeria’s legal position that bail is free.
Amid the backlash, the suspect was reportedly rearrested and transferred, along with her daughter, to the State Command headquarters in Asaba for further investigation.
Despite the growing public concern, the Police Command has yet to respond to the bribery allegations. In the video statement, SP Edafe confirmed the transfer but did not address the claims involving officers of the Ekpan Division.
As of the time of filing this report, Edafe had not responded to a text message seeking clarification on the alleged bail payment or whether any steps had been taken to refund the money.
