The Ondo State Police Command has initiated an investigation into allegations of extortion against the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Igbara-Oke, Ganiyu Dauda, following a protest by residents of the town in Ifedore Local Government Area.
Police spokesperson, DSP Olusola Ayanlade, confirmed the probe on Friday, stating that while no formal complaint had been officially lodged, the command was taking the claims seriously and had already begun the investigation.
Ayanlade appealed to the public, urging anyone with credible information or evidence related to the allegations to come forward to assist the investigation.
“The command has begun investigating the extortion claims involving the DPO of Igbara-Oke,” Ayanlade said. “However, there has been no formal complaint filed yet. We encourage anyone with valid evidence to step forward.”
The investigation follows a protest by local residents, who took to the streets carrying placards and tree branches.
The protesters accused the DPO and his officers of running an extortion racket out of the police station.
The demonstrators blocked the main road into the town, chanting songs and calling for urgent intervention from the state government and police authorities to address the issue before it escalates further.
In his comments on the protest, Ayanlade attributed the unrest to a dispute between commercial drivers and police officers over the towing of a vehicle involved in an accident to the Igbara-Oke Police Station.
He added that the matter had been resolved with the assistance of the local government chairman, but refrained from discussing the specifics of the extortion allegations.
Ayanlade urged the public to remain calm and law-abiding, emphasizing that any officers found guilty of wrongdoing would not be protected. “We will not shield any officer found to have acted improperly.
The findings of the investigation will be made public in due course,” he assured.
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