The Nigeria Police Force has detained officers in Ogun State for allegedly demanding bribes to facilitate the search for a missing seven-year-old girl, Mercy Akande.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this on Saturday, condemning the officers’ actions as unethical and unprofessional.
Mercy, the daughter of a Point-of-Sale (PoS) operator, went missing on December 23, 2024. She was allegedly abducted by a frequent male customer of her mother’s PoS shop in Sango, Ogun State.
The case gained attention after a relative, Miyakee, shared details on the X platform (formerly Twitter) on December 25.
Miyakee revealed that the suspect often visited the shop, buying food for Mercy and giving her money. On the day she disappeared, the man sent her to buy pure water.
He intercepted her on her way back, and both were last seen walking away together. Despite a frantic search, neither was found.
When the incident was reported at a police station in Sango, an officer allegedly demanded ₦40,000—₦10,000 for filing the case and ₦30,000 for tracking the suspect. The bribe demand sparked public outrage, leading to police intervention.
In an update, ACP Adejobi confirmed the arrest of the officers involved and assured the public of ongoing efforts by the Ogun State Police Command to locate the missing child.
“This behavior is inhuman, apathetic, and unprofessional. Disciplinary action will be taken against the officers,”
Adejobi said. He urged the victim’s family to continue cooperating with the police and expressed optimism that Mercy would be found soon.