Youth Group Dismisses Fraud Allegations Against IGP Egbetokun as Fabrication
The Integrity Youth Alliance (IYA) has launched a strong rebuttal against a news report alleging that Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun is involved in a multi-million-dollar fraud scandal and a frantic online cover-up, describing the story as a mix of “conjecture” and outright fabrication.
The group’s statement, released on Friday, directly challenges a SaharaReporters publication which claimed that IGP Egbetokun hired external tech experts to erase online links linking him to a $2.5 million fraud case involving a Nigerian socialite.
“The report is not only false and misleading but a deliberate attempt to malign the reputation of the IGP and undermine the integrity of the Nigeria Police Force,” said Danjuma Lamido, IYA’s spokesperson.
He accused the outlet of relying on unnamed, shadowy sources to peddle what he called “a work of fiction.”
In a point-by-point rebuttal, the alliance refuted the report’s key claims:
On “Criminal Links” & Office Visits: The IYA distinguished between official duties and criminal involvement. “Routine visits and photo opportunities at the office of the Inspector-General of Police should not be twisted into claims of personal relationships or criminal complicity,” Lamido stated, insisting that the IGP has no personal or professional ties to the socialite named in the report. The alliance challenged the publishers to “provide verifiable evidence of any alleged financial transactions.”
On “Emergency Digital Clean-Up”: The group denied any panic-driven online purge. “The allegation is unfounded,” the statement said, noting that the Police Force manages its own professional social media unit and “did not engage external consultants for such purposes.”
On “Turmoil” at Force Headquarters: IYA dismissed claims of internal crisis, emergency IT meetings, or an IGP cutting trips short. They confirmed that Egbetokun’s Lagos engagement went ahead as scheduled and his return to Abuja was routine. “There is no internal crisis,” the statement insisted, adding that any ICT matters are handled through normal command channels.
On “Unlawful Surveillance”: The alliance rejected claims of spying on officers’ private communications, saying any monitoring by the Force is “done strictly within the confines of the law and for legitimate criminal investigations.”
On “Imminent Purge”: Allegations of forced retirements and strategic postings to quell disorder were also dismissed. IYA clarified that the authority to retire senior officers rests solely with the Police Service Commission and “there is no plan to retire any senior officer.”
The IYA concluded by urging the public to ignore the “baseless report” and called on media organisations to ground their reporting in facts and verifiable evidence.
The robust denial sets the stage for a likely contentious exchange, with police leadership aiming to publicly quash the scandal allegations as the product of irresponsible reporting.
