The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed that a 15-year-old boy was questioned over the disappearance of a wristwatch valued at $500 but denied allegations that officers demanded ₦100,000 from his employer to secure his release at the Abagana Police Division.
The Command said the investigation was initiated following a formal complaint lodged on October 17, 2026, after the wristwatch, which was reportedly sent from abroad for delivery to the owner’s uncle in Nawfia, Anambra State, went missing.
The police said the investigation was aimed at establishing how the wristwatch was received, transferred and allegedly disposed of, following conflicting accounts from the individuals involved.
The development comes after ChroniclesReporters learnt of a viral video in which the teenager alleged that he had spent five days at the Abagana Police Station in Njikoka Local Government Area over the missing wristwatch.
In the video, the boy explained that the wristwatch had been brought to the tyre-repair workshop where he worked. He said he placed the item on a tyre before it subsequently went missing.
The teenager also alleged that the man who accused him of stealing the wristwatch assaulted him before taking him to the police station.
A person recording the video further alleged that the boy’s employer was detained after visiting the station to intervene in the matter and was asked to pay ₦100,000.
However, the police have rejected the allegation of extortion, insisting that their intervention was intended to establish the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the property.
The Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the wristwatch had initially been entrusted to the complainant’s brother for onward delivery to the intended recipient in Nawfia.
According to Ikenga, the complainant’s brother arrived at a vulcanising workshop after relying on a description indicating that a tyre was usually parked in front of his uncle’s shop.
At the workshop, he met a worker identified as Igwe Arinze, whom he mistakenly believed was employed by his uncle.
Ikenga said Arinze informed the visitor that his employer was away, prompting the man to hand over the wristwatch to him for delivery to the intended recipient.
The police spokesperson explained that the visitor was unaware that he had gone to the wrong premises when he handed over the item.
The situation became complicated when the intended recipient subsequently denied receiving the wristwatch, prompting the police to invite Arinze for questioning.
During his interview with investigators, Arinze reportedly explained that the wristwatch had been handed to him for safekeeping and that he later gave it to his employer, identified as Simon Tochukwu, when the latter returned.
According to the police, efforts to reach Simon were initially unsuccessful because he was away.
However, Ikenga said Simon eventually returned on October 20, 2026, and admitted receiving the wristwatch from his employee.
The police spokesperson said Simon claimed that he subsequently returned the item to Arinze and instructed him to discard it because he believed it was an old wristwatch.
“Further questioning indicated that the wristwatch had allegedly been thrown into a pile of discarded tyres, where subsequent efforts to locate it proved unsuccessful,” Ikenga said.
The police said the conflicting accounts provided by the individuals involved necessitated further questioning to establish their respective roles in the disappearance of the wristwatch.
Ikenga explained that, following the interviews, the suspect was released and instructed to return to the Abagana Police Division on October 23, 2026, for further clarification and follow-up on efforts to locate the missing property.
The Command, however, firmly denied allegations that officers demanded ₦100,000 from the teenager’s employer in connection with the case.
“The Command denies the allegation that ₦100,000 was demanded in connection with the case,” Ikenga said.
He maintained that the police intervention was focused on establishing the circumstances surrounding the receipt, transfer and alleged disposal of the missing wristwatch.
“The handling of the matter was directed at establishing the circumstances surrounding the receipt, transfer and alleged disposal of the missing wristwatch,” he added.
The police spokesperson stressed that officers were expected to discharge their duties professionally, impartially and in accordance with the law.
He also assured the public that any allegation of misconduct brought to the attention of the Command would be treated with the seriousness it deserved.
Ikenga said the investigation remained ongoing and that appropriate lawful steps would be taken after the necessary investigative processes had been completed.
The Command further reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, accountability and the protection of the rights of all persons, urging members of the public with genuine complaints about police conduct to report them through the appropriate channels.