Abuja-based businessman, Prince Chukwuemeka Okoye, has gifted Superintendent of Police Ibrahim Sini a plot of land in Abuja for turning down a 150 million naira bribe allegedly offered to him by a defendant. Okoye, the Managing Director/CEO of Vegas Homes Ltd, praised Sini at a party organized in his honor, emphasizing that Sini’s rejection of the bribe helped him retain his most valuable assets—integrity and peace of mind, which Okoye highlighted as his core values in life.
Okoye stated that Sini’s exemplary conduct should inspire others and remind Nigerians that the Nigerian Police Force has officers of integrity and good conduct. He remarked, “SP Sini’s actions have not only brought honor to himself and the Nigeria Police Force but have also inspired countless others to stand firm against corruption and uphold the highest ethical standards.”
Okoye added, “His integrity serves as a beacon of hope, demonstrating that even in challenging circumstances, it is possible to remain true to one’s values. This honor is not only to appreciate the laudable conduct of Superintendent Ibrahim Sini but also to demonstrate that society values individuals of integrity and good conduct. We want to show that the Nigerian Police Force has professional officers who live above board; with the right incentives, they can be worthy examples.”
The defendant, a Lagos-based businessman whose name is withheld, allegedly offered the bribe to Sini to suppress an investigation regarding a petition against him by an international oil firm operating in Nigeria. The Inspector General of Police, through his counsel, Mr. Simon Lough (SAN), charged the defendant, who was arraigned at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in 2023. The charge indicated that the defendant made a partial payment of 50 million naira to a team of investigators led by Sini of the Federal Investigation Bureau.
Speaking at the party organized in his honor, Sini explained that he rejected the bribe to retain his most valuable assets—integrity and peace of mind. He recounted, “I remember when the incident happened, the person in question asked me if I wanted to be rich. It was an opportunity for me to be rich. The bribe was offered to enable him to escape abroad and to influence me to write a favorable report about him after the investigation! I said to him that it depended on the kind of riches he was talking about because I wouldn’t like to have riches that would make it difficult to lay my head down and sleep at night. So, I decided to do the right thing so that I can have peace of mind, not just for myself but for my organization, that is, the Nigeria Police Force, and for the country at large.”
Sini called on the youth to stand for justice and integrity regardless of the circumstances and advised young people in the country not to trade their integrity for anything immoral. “Integrity counts. It is possible to be in the middle of a lot of challenges and the storms of life and still be upright. Nigeria is our country, and Nigeria shall be great,” he added.
(NAN)
