The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has secured the conviction of one David Udensik, alias Dr. Jacob Bello, over his involvement in an international oil-related fraud valued at over one million dollars.
The conviction, handed down by the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 22, 2025, followed a petition from a United States–based energy company which alleged that Udensik defrauded it under the guise of facilitating crude oil transactions in Nigeria.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Benjamin Hundeyin, Force Public Relations Officer, investigations by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) revealed that between 2018 and 2023, the suspect led a sophisticated criminal network that forged documents purportedly from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other regulatory agencies.
“Forensic analysis confirmed the documents were entirely counterfeit. Following diligent investigations and prosecution, the court convicted Udensik on charges of forgery, obtaining by false pretence, and money laundering.
“The court also ordered the forfeiture of assets worth several hundreds of millions of naira, including real estate and other properties acquired with proceeds of the crime to facilitate restitution to the defrauded company”, the statement read.
Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector-General of Police, commended the officers involved in the investigation and prosecution, describing their work as “a testament to the Force’s commitment to professionalism and justice.”
He reaffirmed that the Police remain resolute in safeguarding Nigeria’s corporate integrity and bringing cyber-enabled financial criminals to justice, regardless of their location or influence.
In a related development, the Nigeria Police Force has described as “false, malicious, and defamatory” a report alleging that the IGP smuggled names into the Nigeria Police Academy (POLAC) admission list for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The Force, in a strongly worded statement signed by Hundeyin, dismissed the publication as “a barefaced lie and a product of irresponsible journalism,” accusing the platform of deliberately seeking to mislead Nigerians and malign the reputation of the Police leadership.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the admission process into the Nigeria Police Academy remains transparent, merit-based, and guided by due process, A total of 370 candidates , ten per state, were admitted purely on merit, having satisfied all academic, physical, and character benchmarks required by the Academy”, the statement read.
While acknowledging that individuals or institutions may recommend candidates, the Police clarified that such recommendations do not override merit or influence final selection decisions.
“Under the watch of IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, no name is smuggled, no slot is sold, and no standard is compromised,” the statement asserted.
The Force challenged the medium to produce a single verifiable name from the approved admission list that fails to meet the stipulated requirements, describing the report as “journalistic blackmail and an assault on national institutions.”
It further warned the online platform to desist from its “habitual dissemination of false reports” or face legal action, including possible defamation proceedings.
“The Nigeria Police Force remains professional, transparent, and unwavering in its commitment to merit and accountability.
“No amount of blackmail or falsehood will distract the Force from its sacred duty of protecting lives, property, and the integrity of our nation,” the statement noted.
