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The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed attempts to give an ethnic interpretation to the extradition of a Nigerian suspect to the United Kingdom, insisting that the case is purely criminal and not connected to tribal or regional identity. The Force said the matter involves serious allegations of murder and drug trafficking, and should be treated strictly as a law enforcement issue rather than one shaped by ethnic sentiment. 
Police authorities made the clarification after reactions on social media suggested that the extradition of the suspect, identified as Matthew Chukwuemeka Adebiyi, had ethnic undertones. In response, the Force maintained that crime has no ethnic identity and that justice procedures were followed based on court orders and international cooperation agreements between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. 
According to the police, Adebiyi had been wanted in the UK in connection with a 2018 murder case and alleged involvement in drug supply offences. He reportedly fled to Nigeria while evading prosecution, leading UK authorities to request his extradition through INTERPOL channels. After legal proceedings in Nigeria, a Federal High Court approved his extradition earlier in 2026. 
The police further emphasized that Nigeria remains committed to international security cooperation and will not tolerate fugitives using the country as a safe haven. They warned against spreading narratives that could inflame ethnic divisions, stressing that criminal justice processes are guided by law, not identity or background. 
