Allegations have emerged against the office of Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu over claims that senior police officials suppressed an investigation report and legal advice recommending the prosecution of top officials of the Joint Tax Board (JTB), Plateau State Government agencies, and other suspects on charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, fraudulent extortion, forgery, money laundering, and diversion of public funds.
The IGP’s Principal Staff Officer, CSP Lateef Ahmed, stand accused of withholding and frustrating action on the report despite a prosecution recommendation from the Force Legal Department.
Multiple sources within the police force told SaharaReporters that the Director of Legal Services at Force Headquarters, Assistant Inspector-General of Police Emmanuel Ade Aina, issued a legal opinion recommending the prosecution of several suspects, including Jim Pam Wayas and Samuel Dapiya, after investigators established a prima facie case against them.
The controversy stems from a petition originally submitted to then Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun on March 19, 2024, alleging widespread fraudulent tax collection through the JTB and its contractor, Citiserve Limited.
The complainant, Mr Solomon Osagie, alleged that motorists across Nigeria were compelled to pay illegal interstate road sticker levies, with proceeds allegedly diverted into private accounts through the use of forged receipts.
Sources familiar with the matter told SaharaReporters that despite extensive investigations and the submission of legal advice, the case has remained stalled at the highest levels of the police hierarchy.
Multiple Transfers and Alleged Interference
The case reportedly moved through several police formations, including the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), the IGP Monitoring Unit, and later the Police Special Investigation Unit (PSIU) on the directive of the former Inspector-General of Police.
Throughout the investigation, sources alleged that attempts were made by some government officials and police personnel to frustrate the probe.
One of the officers named in the controversy is ASP Sule Danjuma, who allegedly played a key role in efforts to compromise the investigation while the matter was at the FCID. He was accused of unlawfully arresting the complainant without a warrant.
Danjuma was later reportedly indicted for professional misconduct by the Force Public Complaint Bureau (FPRO-PCB), although disciplinary proceedings are yet to be concluded.
The complainant also alleged that he was unlawfully arrested, intimidated, and subjected to harassment despite being the petitioner in a matter that was simultaneously under investigation by another police unit.
Legal Advice Recommends Prosecution
A legal opinion titled “Legal Advice Re: Police Investigation Report – Alleged Case of Criminal Conspiracy, Fraudulent Extortion and Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of Peace (CER:447/2025)”, dated May 19, 2025, and bearing Reference Number CB:3514/DoLS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.56/2, stated that “investigators had established sufficient grounds to prosecute several suspects, including; Jim Pam Wayas, Samuel N. Dapiya, Makplang Daniel John, Leo Densak, Samuel Emeka Esomonu.”
The report also recommended that Ucheptse Daniel be charged for obstruction of police officers.
According to findings contained in the legal advice, investigators established prima facie cases of criminal conspiracy, forgery, diversion of taxpayer funds into private accounts, money laundering, economic sabotage, misappropriation of public funds, and abuse of office.
The Director of Legal Services subsequently recommended that the original case file be forwarded for arraignment and prosecution.
Part of the legal opinion stated: “After the study of the report, it is the considered legal opinion of this Directorate that a prima facie case of criminal conspiracy, forgery, diversion of funds from taxpayers into individual accounts, money laundering, economic sabotage, misappropriation, and abuse of office has been established against the suspects.”
The legal advice further directed investigators to expand inquiries into counter-allegations made against the petitioner by one of the suspects in order to establish their veracity.
Alleged Discovery of Fake Revenue Receipts
Investigators reportedly discovered that receipts purportedly issued by the Joint Tax Board and allegedly printed by the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company Plc were not genuine.
The report found that some revenue receipts and stickers recovered during the investigation carried identical identification numbers rather than the unique serial numbers expected of official government revenue documents.
Evidence obtained during the investigation reportedly linked several recovered receipt booklets and revenue stickers to individuals involved in the collection process.
One suspect, Leo Densak, reportedly admitted during interrogation that some of the recovered receipt booklets had been supplied by him.
The investigation further traced several receipt booklets bearing Plateau State revenue collection markings and serial references, which became central to the allegations of forged revenue documents and diversion of government funds.
Petitioner Alleges Deliberate Delay and Cover-Up
In a letter dated June 8, 2026, addressed to the Inspector-General of Police through his lawyers, B.I. Dakum & Co., the complainant accused police authorities of deliberately delaying prosecution despite the conclusion of investigations.
The letter also raised concerns over the continued failure of the police to release Certified True Copies (CTCs) of both the investigation report and a separate disciplinary report allegedly indicting CSP Francis Maga for his role in compromising earlier investigations and for leading a team of police officers to arrest the complainant in a violent manner.
According to the letter, repeated applications made under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, have not received any response.
The letter claimed that during an interview session at the Force CID, Area 10, Abuja, the Attorney-General of Plateau State allegedly suggested that the state governor would intervene by contacting the Inspector-General of Police to halt the investigation.
The complainant described the allegation as troubling and capable of undermining public confidence in ongoing police reforms.
The petition questioned why key documents, including requests for Certified True Copies, disciplinary findings, and the legal advice already submitted to the Inspector-General’s office, have remained unattended to.
The lawyers asked: “Who is working to compromise the prosecution? Is it a coincidence that both the requests for Certified True Copies and the investigation report with legal advice submitted to the IGP’s office have either gone missing or remained unattended to?”
The complainant maintains that the refusal to release investigation reports and disciplinary findings has stalled prosecution and denied him access to documents required to pursue further legal action.
Background Story
The matter stems from a petition dated December 24, 2025 written by the Plateau State Attorney-General, Philimon Auta Daffi, on behalf of the state government to the Inspector-General of Police against a tax consultant company engaged in revenue collection, Messrs Solomon Osagie Obodeh and PABEN MBC Plc.
The petition alleged that the company continued operating in the state after the expiration and termination of its contractual agreement.
The Plateau State Government reportedly declared Messrs Solomon Obodeh and PABEN MBC Ltd persona non grata and described them as a security threat to the state while requesting police investigation.
The complainant maintained that the petition filed against him by the state government was merely a calculated attempt to frustrate his efforts and divert public attention from the alleged fraudulent activities in question.
CSP Lateef Ahmed, the Principal Staff Officer to the IGP, did not respond to repeated calls or text messages from SaharaReporters seeking his reaction to the allegations.
The Force PRO, Iniedu Okokon, similarly had not responded to calls or a text message sent to him at the time of filing this report.
