Twitter User Accuses Police Officers of Extortion and Threats in Lagos
A Twitter user has accused some police officers of extorting N20,000 from him at gun point in Epe, Lagos. The user, who goes by the handle @afolxbi tagged @BenHundeyin, Police Public Relations Officer, in a series of tweets on Tuesday, alleging that the police station in Epe, Oke oyinbo, is running an organized extortion racket.
He claimed that he was stopped by a group of six police officers, who demanded to see his phone and searched his car without a warrant. He said that they found nothing incriminating, but still insisted that he had to pay them N20,000 or face arrest. He said that one of the officers, Ojuiya Jimoh, kept threatening him and his friend, while another officer, Ogegba James, raised his gun at them.
He said that he had no choice but to pay them the money, as he feared for his life and safety. He also said that he managed to get the names of the officers involved, and tagged the Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, in his tweets. He listed the names of the officers as follows:
1. Oyebanji Mutholib
2. Ojuiya Jimoh
3. Jagun Qudus
4. Ogegba James
5. Uherbomhen Augustine
6. Thompson Oludare
He also posted a picture of the receipt he received from the officers, which showed the amount of N20,000 and the date of December 19, 2023. He said that the receipt was a proof of the extortion and corruption that is rampant in the Nigerian police force.
He called on the authorities to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to justice. He also urged other Nigerians to share their experiences of police brutality and harassment, using the hashtag #endpoliceextortion.
His tweets have generated a lot of reactions from other Twitter users, who expressed their outrage and sympathy over his ordeal. Some users also shared their own stories of police extortion and violence, while others called for a reform of the police system in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Police Force has not yet responded to the allegations, as of the time of writing this report.
