The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has warned point of sale (POS) machine operators to avoid being unwitting accomplices in receiving and disbursing ransom payments for kidnap victims.
Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), who issued this warning on Friday, January 30, 2026, also warned members of the public on he activities on a syndicate posing as police officers and extorting unsuspecting citizens.
Describing it as “a disturbing trend”, Iringe-Koko said the State Commissioner of Police has launched a robust mechanism to monitor, identify, apprehend, and prosecute those involved in this illegal act to the full extent of the law.
She said it is aimed at apprehending these group of individuals who pose as police officers, wearing black attire and engaging in the extortion of unsuspecting citizens in the State.
She also asserted that no individual, regardless of their claimed affiliation, has the authority to conduct searches of personal devices of citizens, such as phones or laptops, on the road or at checkpoints, or demand that citizens accompany them to withdraw or transfer cash from a POS operator or any financial institution.
The Police PRO’s statement on the issue is reproduced below:
“Alert: Be Security Conscious
The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to a disturbing trend, where a group of individuals portraying as Police Officers, wearing black attire, and engaging in the extortion of unsuspecting citizens in the State.
This development is deeply concerning and the Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adewole Adepoju, PSC, mnips, has launched a robust mechanism to monitor, identify, apprehend, and prosecute those involved in this illegal act to the full extent of the law.
It is imperative to note that no individual, regardless of their claimed affiliation, has the authority to conduct searches of personal devices of the citizens, such as phones or laptops, on the road or at checkpoints, or demand that you accompany them to withdraw or transfer cash from a POS operator or any financial institution.
The public is advised to exercise vigilance and report any suspicious activities or encountered hostile checkpoints to the following hotlines:
– Complaint Response Unit (CRU): 07057605256, 08120822987, 09035774814
– PPRO: 09014273818
– Control Room: 08032003514
“The Rivers State Police Command reassures citizens of its commitment to maintaining law and order, and appeals for cooperation and support legitimate Police operations in ensuring the safety and security of all residents.”