The Ogun State Police Command has arrested some of its officers for allegedly demanding money from the family of a missing girl before taking action on the case.

This was disclosed by the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on X.com (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

Adejobi, while not revealing the identities of the detained officers, confirmed they were being held for disciplinary action, describing their actions as unacceptable.

He wrote: “Otta missing girl: The policemen who demanded money before they could attend to the case have been arrested and are now in detention for disciplinary action. We condemn such an act and will not tolerate it. It is inhuman, apathetic, and unprofessional.”

Adejobi assured the public of the police’s commitment to locating the missing girl, expressing confidence that she would be found soon. He also urged the family of the victim to cooperate with ongoing investigations.

“The Ogun State Police Command has been on the case. The girl will be found as soon as possible,” Adejobi added.

Reports indicate that the incident involves a seven-year-old girl, the daughter of a point-of-sale operator, who was allegedly kidnapped by one of her mother’s regular customers in Ogun State.

According to our correspondent, the suspect lured the child by buying her food and sending her on an errand to buy a sachet of water. The girl has not been seen since.

The victim’s mother reportedly faced further challenges when she attempted to report the incident at the police station. She was allegedly asked to pay ₦10,000 to file the case and ₦30,000 to track the suspect’s phone number, leading to public outrage over the officers’ conduct.

The arrests of the officers involved have sparked discussions about accountability and professionalism within the police force.