Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force who abducted and extorted N500,000 from a Lagos State University (LASU) student at gunpoint have been arrested.
SaharaReporters learnt that the police had also refunded the extorted money ₦500,000 after the apprehension.
The rogue officers, operating in plain clothes and with impunity, pounced on 100-level Political Science student, Izuchukwu Martins, along the Abule Ado axis of Lagos, a corridor infamously known for police extortion and brutal intimidation of young Nigerians.
Martins was on his way to visit his uncle on Wednesday when he was flagged down by the officers, forcibly dragged into a commercial minibus,popularly called “Korope”, and dispossessed of his phone, wristwatch, and ultimately, ₦500,000, under the barrel of their guns.
His offence was owning a smartphone and having pictures of foreigners in his gallery, evidence the officers said was enough to tag him a “Yahoo boy.”
“Yesterday (Wednesday), I was going to my uncle’s place. The bike man already warned me that police officers usually harass boys in that area. I came down to trek so I wouldn’t get into trouble, but as I was walking, two armed men not in uniform approached me. They dragged me into a Korope and wouldn’t let me go,” Martins recounted to SaharaReporters.
Inside the bus, the officers ransacked his belongings and found nothing incriminating. Still, they demanded ₦5 million and began driving past police stations without stopping.
“They didn’t find anything. I don’t smoke, I don’t do anything criminal. But when they saw my account balance, they demanded ₦5 million. I offered ₦20,000, they laughed at me and said, ‘Do we look hungry?’ Then they insisted I pay ₦500,000. They gave me an Opay account to transfer the money,” he said.
SaharaReporters gathered that the extortionists’ criminal streak was finally curtailed after pro-democracy group, Take-It-Back Movement swung into action.
Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek, Lagos Coordinator of the group, told SaharaReporters that they filed a petition at the Area E Command of the Nigerian police, urging immediate investigation and identification of the culprits.
“The petition submitted to the Area E Command has been acknowledged, and the ACP acted swiftly by bursting and raiding the checkpoint where this heinous crime is routinely committed,” Taofeek said.
“All officers involved have been apprehended to face disciplinary action. They are also about to refund the ₦500,000 they extorted from the victim,” he added.
He continued: “After writing the petition, I instructed the NANS southwest PRO, Comrade Kuku Isaiah Eromidayo to accompany him to the office of the area commander, area E command.
“The commander instructed the provost to visit the scene where the the boy was accosted. Fortunately, the provost was able to arrest 2 of the police while others fled leaving their 4 mini buses they used in carrying out their illegal operation.
“The boy was able to identify the officers that extorted him and they were made to write statement. The 500k was refunded afterwards.”(SaharaReporters)
