Residents of an estate in Onitsha, Anambra State, say the police at 33 Police Station released, or let escape, a suspect arrested after a burglary at their estate. They allege that officers asked for ₦100,000 as a “mobilisation fee” to go and arrest the suspect’s accomplices.
These are allegations from residents, shared in a video. We found no statement from the police on this case, and the officers named in online posts have not responded. The suspect has not been tried, and the police have not been heard.
What the residents say happened (the account)
According to the residents, more than 10 suspected thieves entered their compound and broke into several houses. They allegedly took phones, laptops, cash and other valuables worth millions of naira from different tenants. One victim said three phones, including two worth millions of naira, a laptop and cash were taken from his apartment.
The estate security team reportedly caught one suspect and recovered clothes and other items said to have been stolen. They handed him to local vigilantes, who reportedly persuaded him to lead them to where his accomplices lived and where stolen goods were sold. He was then taken to the 33 Police Station.
The money demand and the missing suspect (the central allegations)
The residents allege that police officers asked for ₦100,000 to mobilise, meaning to cover the cost of going out to arrest the others. They say they could not pay, but offered a vehicle and fuel instead. They also allege that they were warned the suspect could be released if they did not provide the money. The next day, they say, they were told that the suspect had escaped from police detention.
The residents have not shown any proof beyond their own account in the video. Whether any money was requested, and how the suspect left custody, are questions for the police to answer.
A complaint that Anambra police have faced before (past cases and how they were handled)
Similar accusations have been made against police in the state. In March 2026, a woman in Awka said that after reporting a man who harassed her, she was asked to pay ₦200,000 to “mobilise” officers. That is her allegation, and we found no response in the report.
In September 2026, a rights group, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), alleged that ₦600,000 was paid for the release of a woman linked to a murder case. The Anambra police denied it. The police spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, said the command did not demand or collect any money, and that she was released on bail after undertaking to help locate a suspect. That response shows how the police have answered such claims: by denying them and explaining their procedure.
There have also been cases in which officers faced consequences. In March 2026, a report noted that police in Anambra had arrested and detained six senior officers who allegedly tortured and extorted ₦200,000 from a trader in Onitsha. The same report covered an activist’s complaint of alleged extortion of ₦1,119,000 by officers of an anti-cultism unit in Enugwu-Ukwu. These show that complaints can lead to action, but also that they keep returning.
Why people pay to get police to act (the “mobilisation” problem)
Many Nigerians say that officers ask for money for fuel, transport or “mobilisation” before investigating a case. The police may be short of vehicles and funds, and some officers may exploit that gap. Victims, desperate to recover their property or catch the criminals, often feel they have little choice but to pay.
The arrangement also hurts the case. A suspect who is arrested and then lost, whether by escape or release, may take away evidence and information about the rest of the gang. In this case, residents say the suspect was ready to lead others to his accomplices.
Fear, loss and lost trust (effects)
For the victims, the loss is large and personal. Phones, laptops and cash are hard to replace, and some of them may have been needed for work or school. The residents also now fear that the gang may return, especially if the suspect knows where they live.
At the wider level, such stories reduce trust in the police. When citizens believe that arrests can be bought or sold, they may stop reporting crime, or take matters into their own hands. The role of local vigilantes in this case, who questioned the suspect before police took over, also raises safety concerns for everyone involved.
Ways to settle this and prevent repeats (possible solutions)
The Anambra Police Command should investigate the allegations quickly, including how the suspect left custody. It should publish its findings and, if officers acted wrongly, discipline or prosecute them. The command can also say clearly whether any “mobilisation” fee can be requested from a victim, since reporting a crime is meant to be free.
Residents can document their complaint in writing, keep records of any request for money, and send it to higher offices, including the Force’s Complaint Response Unit, which was named in a recent report. Estates can also install cameras and keep good records, so that evidence does not depend on one arrest. Government can fund police transport and operations, so that officers do not depend on victims’ money.
Justice that cannot be bought (our reading of the accusation)
We cannot say what happened at the 33 Police Station. The police have not responded, and the residents’ account is still an allegation. But the claims are serious. If true, they mean a suspect was lost after victims could not pay for an investigation that the public already funds.
We believe the best response is a public one. The command should explain how a suspect escaped from detention, and whether anyone asked for money. If the allegations are false, the police should show the evidence. If true, officers should face the consequences, as they did in the Onitsha trader’s case. Residents who report a burglary should not have to buy the arrest of the thieves.
Published by Ejoh Caleb
