Update: Rivers police officer assaulted over alleged drug trafficking claims youth leader who orchestrated the attack has been making passes at his pregnant lover

The Rivers state government has reacted to a trending video of a police officer named Joshua Nyian, alleged to have been involved in drug trafficking in the state. 

The youths in Nkpolu community, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, assaulted the officer and two other youths for alleged use of hard drugs. It was alleged that the youth leadership of the community stormed a drug hideout and arrested three individuals, including an officer.

Reacting to the video, the spokesperson of the Rivers state police command, SP Grace Iringe, said contrary to the claims made earlier, the accused officer was framed by the youth leader who is in a tussle with him over his pregnant lover.

Her statement reads

‘’On 24th August 2025 at about 1:40 p.m., one Inspector of Police , Joshua Nyian, attached to Woji Division, reported a case of assault and stealing.

According to the report, at about 10:20 a.m. on the same date, while returning from work, the officer stopped at Nkpolu to see his woman friend, who is pregnant for him. He was suddenly accosted by the Nkpolu Youth President, the Community Chairman, and about twenty youths. They allegedly assaulted him by beating him up, dragged him to the main road, seized his police identity card and phone, recorded him on video, and forcefully collected the sum of seventy-eight thousand naira (N78,000) from him.

The officer further alleged that the Youth President has been making advances to his woman friend, which may have prompted the attack.

The officer’s statement was voluntarily recorded, and a medical form was issued to him for treatment. Frantic efforts are ongoing for the youth president with others involved to come forward with their evidence 

The Command assures the public that justice will be served and urges community leaders to caution their youths against taking the law into their hands.”