Some officers attached to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja have been accused of diverting N3 million recovered from a debtor in a financial dispute, allegedly compromising the case and obstructing justice.
Documents and petitions obtained by SaharaReporters indicate that the dispute began between a Lagos businessman, Kehinde Ojulari, and a couple, Charles and Evelyn Anyanebechi, before it escalated into allegations of corruption and abuse of office against the investigating police officers.
In a petition dated February 21, 2024, and addressed to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, FCID, Abuja, Ojulari stated that the Anyanebechis had failed to honour a repayment agreement reached in the presence of investigators after they admitted owing him money from a failed business transaction.
The petition referenced case number CR:3000/X/FHQ/ABJ/ADM/T.5/Vol.280/98, confirming that both parties appeared before FCID officials, where the debtors signed an undertaking to repay the money by March 2, 2024.
Ojulari alleged that after the agreement, the couple deliberately refused to make payment, and the officers handling the matter stopped responding to his calls and messages. When he tried to escalate the matter, he claimed the officers began shielding the debtors, frustrating his efforts to recover the funds.
In another petition to the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, titled “Petition Against IPO Musa Bako of FCID Abuja, AIG Ibrahim Zango, and Mr. Charles & Mrs. Evelyn Anyanebechi for Obtaining Under False Pretence, Threat to Life, False Allegations, and Obstruction of Justice,” Ojulari accused the officers of colluding with the suspects to pervert justice.
“I was defrauded of about N24 million by Mr. Charles Anyanebechi, assisted by his wife Evelyn. When I tried to recover my money legally, Charles threatened that I would regret it if I involved the police,” part of the petition read. “He later manipulated the case at FCID Abuja. Though he signed an undertaking to repay, the police refused to act after he defaulted.”
An audio recording of a phone conversation between Ojulari and one of the investigating officers, IPO Musa Bako, reportedly confirmed that the debtors had paid N3 million of the disputed amount. However, Ojulari claimed he never received the money.
The recording, dated July 19, 2024, also revealed that the case had been transferred to the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) in Ikoyi, Lagos, where progress was being made before senior FCID officers allegedly intervened, recalled the case, and demanded 10% of the recovered sum.
“Ogunyemi said his wife was arrested at PSFU Ikoyi on July 18, 2024, and their car was seized before AIG Zango interfered and moved the case back to Abuja,” Ojulari stated. “The FCID officers said they were not debt recovery agents, yet they are protecting the suspects and collecting part of the money.”
Ojulari further alleged that his letters to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police were blocked by subordinates who claimed they were mediating the matter.
“They said they were only trying to mediate, but how do you mediate by collecting money from one side and hiding it from the other?” he questioned.
