EXCLUSIVE: NSCDC Oyo Commandant Padonu Accused Of Orchestrating Arrest, Transfer Of Alleged Whistleblower To Abuja After Extortions Blew Open

The Oyo State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Augustine Padonu, has been accused of orchestrating the arrest and transfer to Abuja of a senior officer, Superintendent of Corps Adejumo Demola Moses, who was allegedly suspected of leaking information about extortion and compulsory financial deductions imposed on personnel under his command. The allegations emerged after SaharaReporters published a report detailing claims by personnel of the NSCDC Oyo State Command that Padonu had imposed systematic financial levies on officers deployed to various beats and locations across the state. According to a top officer familiar with the development, Moses was targeted after the allegations became public, with officers reportedly subjected to repeated interrogations and searches of their mobile phones in an effort to identify the source of the information leaked to the media. The source further explained that personnel were summoned in batches from their operational posts, including mining sites and other public and private facilities, to the command headquarters, where their phones were collected and scrutinised. The source also said that Padonu had authorised deductions from personnel's allowances to fund his birthday celebration and support the relocation of his church to Abuja by road. Speaking to SaharaReporters on Saturday, the source said the incident was connected to efforts to identify the officer who provided information about the alleged exploitation of personnel at the NSCDC command. "It's all about the officer who gave information regarding the exploitation going on at the civil defence headquarters here in the state. After the media broke the news, they went on all sorts of defensive," the source said. The source explained that other media organisations subsequently published accounts suggesting that the initial report did not present the full picture, adding that the command had reportedly indicated that it would investigate the allegations. According to the officer, the situation escalated after personnel deployed outside the headquarters were repeatedly summoned for questioning. "But after that, officers who are what they call beats, who are sent on assignments outside the command, maybe mining facilities and some institutions, corporate institutions, individuals here and there, were summoned in batches to come over to the headquarters. They would collect their phones and scrutinise their phones," the source said. The source said that the officers were required to remove the passwords on their phones to enable the inspection of their devices. "Of course, you have to release your password, you have to remove the password. So they check their phones. They did it for like one week," the officer added. The source said the exercise continued for approximately a week, with officers being brought in from their various beats and operational assignments for phone inspections. The officer further claimed that Padonu was furious about the disclosure of the extortion and had repeatedly threatened to identify and punish whoever was responsible. "The commandant here, according to those at the meeting, even the management meeting, was really furious and was bragging that whoever that gave out this information would not only be fished out, but was going to be dealt with," the source said. The source also noted that Padonu made statements about his religious connections while threatening officers, claiming that he referred to his church as one whose influence was greater than that of an ordinary church. The source said the threats contributed to an atmosphere of fear among personnel, particularly those who believed that the commandant was determined to uncover the identity of the whistleblower. According to the source, meetings were repeatedly convened after the officers' phones had been collected and examined, but the commandant used the gatherings primarily to reprimand personnel and warn them against speaking out. "Days after the phones were collected, scrutinised, and meetings upon meetings, the commandant kept calling meetings upon meetings. He said most of his meetings, even with the management, he was not saying anything that was sensible. The only thing he was doing was talking down on the officers and keeping warning them," the source said. The source further explained thatPadonu boasted about his connections and claimed that nobody could challenge him despite the allegations against his administration. "Bragging that his own connection, his own contacts, there's nothing they could do to him. That he has assumed this position and nothing anybody could do," the officer said. The source also said that Padonu had been promoted to a higher rank but had yet to leave the Oyo State Command, claiming that remaining in control of the command allowed him to retain access to benefits and opportunities associated with the position. "Meanwhile, he was supposed to be promoted to the higher rank. But he wouldn't leave because he knew that by the time the promotion is effected and he is taken out of the command, all this unmerited gratification here and there would not be coming again. Because he won't be having, like now, a command to handle," the source alleged. The source said concerns about Moses's whereabouts began after the officer received a message that his superior had summoned him. According to the source, an individual contacted him from an unfamiliar telephone number and conveyed the message that Moses's boss wanted to see him. The source said the message was brief and did not initially raise suspicions, but subsequent attempts to establish contact with Moses reportedly failed. "So, days after these officers were summoned, I received a ton of strange calls on my phone from a strange number. I don't know the number. I called a particular number, and the information it gave me said Officer Moses said his boss summoned him," the source said. The source said he asked whether there was any additional information but was told that the message about the summons was all the caller had to communicate. The following day, the source reportedly contacted the individual again to ask whether there had been any further communication from Moses. "He said he hadn't heard," the source said. The source said he became increasingly concerned after several days passed without any further information about the officer. On the fourth day, the source said he visited Moses's residence and observed that things were not in order. The source explained that Moses kept animals and had other responsibilities at home that required regular attention. However, he said the situation at the residence suggested that the officer had been absent for some time. "I had to step out to go to the officer's house. I noticed some unusual things because he had some animals, he had some facilities that had to be taken care of. I noticed things were not in order," the source said. The source said he subsequently contacted Moses's fiancée, who reportedly told him that she had also been unable to reach the officer. "The woman who was coming around to fix things, his fiancée, I tried to reach her. And she told me that she has done everything to reach her fiancé, but she couldn't get through. The phone was not going through," the source said. The source said he intervened to ensure that some of the responsibilities at the residence were taken care of, including obtaining feed for the animals and providing money for the immediate needs. "So, I had to take care of things that were supposed to be taken care of. They needed to buy feed for the animals. She needed some money and all that. So, I had to do that from my own angle," the source said. The source said he continued making efforts to establish what had happened to Moses while attempting to obtain information through other contacts. The source claimed that information subsequently emerged that Moses was being transported to Abuja by road. According to the source, the information suggested that the officer had been taken away from Oyo State. The source said Moses was reportedly able to contact his fiancée briefly during the journey after asking to use a telephone. "That day, I think he was being driven to Abuja as they claim, the person who gave me the information. Possibly on their way, he begged to use the phone. So, he was able to reach out to the fiancée," the source said. According to the source, the officer's communication with his fiancée was brief and focused on arrangements for the animals at home. "He only instructed the fiancée to go and get feed for the livestock. And the fiancée, she told me that the phone just went off. And she was trying to call after that time. No luck," the source added. The source said subsequent attempts to contact Moses were unsuccessful, raising fears about his safety and whereabouts. "The obvious thing is, the officer is being held right now, I think in Abuja as we speak," the source said. The source further claimed that another officer allegedly linked to the disclosures concerning the commandant's activities had also been summoned to Abuja. The officer explained that the development was connected to accusations that Padonu had been collecting illegal levies from personnel deployed to mining locations and other operational beats. "I learnt that he himself had been summoned to Abuja. I think maybe the third day after our own was taken there. So, that's where the story is," the source said. The source expressed serious concerns about Moses's welfare, alleging that another officer had warned that the superintendent could be at risk. According to the source, there were fears that Moses might have been moved to a remote command, subjected to disciplinary action or demoted because of the allegations surrounding the leak. The source also expressed concern that the officer could be harmed. "Please, we may need to do something very fast. Because I had another officer who gave me information that this person might be dead. He might be transferred from one remote command to another remote place and they will force his life. He's likely going to be demoted and all that," the source said. The source urged that urgent steps be taken to establish Moses's whereabouts and ensure his safety. The source said the last message received concerning Moses was that his superior had summoned him. "But the last message we have from him is that his boss has been summoning him. His boss summoned him. And that boss is more like the commandant, or just the commandant of NSCDC," the source said. When SaharaReporters contacted the national spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Chief Superintendent of Corps (CSC) Afolabi Zaid Babawale, he promised to verify the information and provide clarification on Monday. He said, “Please, can you hold on until Monday afternoon? Let me get to the root of the matter. I will contact the administration to confirm the details, as I want to know the officers who were transferred from Oyo State.” SaharaReporters had previously reported that personnel of the NSCDC Oyo State Command accused Padonu of systemic extortion and imposing compulsory financial levies on officers deployed across various beats in the state. Whistleblowers revealed that the extortions were disguised as mandatory contributions for the commandant’s personal birthday celebrations and annual church harvest at his church in Badagry, Lagos State. According to the serving officers who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, the commandant conducted the scheme through a designated “Beat Coordinator,” Superintendent of Corps (SC) Adeeyo Oluremi Babatunde, popularly known as “The Machinery.” Documents obtained by SaharaReporters showed a WhatsApp message listing 58 officers and their contributions totaling N616,000, paid into a Palmpay account registered to Adeeyo Oluremi. Another message instructed that each officer on beats contribute N5,000, to be deducted from source. When contacted by SaharaReporters, Babatunde confirmed the deduction but did not link the commandant as having directed it. He insisted that the money was nothing compared to what he paid to the Corps. He had stated: "So, I know someone might have reported to you, but I think that matter is none of your business. Because I can tell you categorically that if that matter does not concern you, in every business, in every organisation, there's what they call what? Welfare. You can run a welfare to your boss. It depends on how loyal you are to him. Are you getting me?