Extortion: Four Police Officers Napped In Lagos

BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – Following a citizen’s complaints of extortion by some police officers in Lagos, two Inspectors and Sergeants respectively have been taken into custody, pending completion of investigation into the case.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris had directed the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 Lagos to carry out detailed investigations into the alleged misconduct and ensure appropriate disciplinary action is taken against anyone found to have erred.

A statement by Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Public Complaint Rapid Respond Unit (PCRRU), ACP Abayomi Shogunle, said the four policemen and bank statement of account have been handed over to the AIG Zone 2, by PCRRU investigators for the required action.

Shogunle explained the circumstance that triggered the arrest and investigation of the four police officers saying, “Following a 17th August, 2017 viral social media post in which a citizen alleged thus “two officers one named Mathew Olasiji Olaadujoye and Oba Roland stationed along Ogudu road today pulled me over and asked for my cell phone…I refused to hand it over cuz I felt it was infringement of my privacy…but it was forcefully taken and my messages were viewed along with my account details and other private areas in fone and I was extorted for 100,000 Naira. The excuse for this was cuz he saw in my google app that I had more than one gmail log in…so I was tagged a yahoo boy…I was detained for 4 hours…and my car keys taken from me…I wasn’t released until I transferred to Mathew’s account a total of 15,000…”

Shogunle said the Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU) upon receipt of the complaint in the social media, immediately registered the case and ticket number PCRRU972905 was issued.

He further said; “The author of the post (name withheld) was contacted and a meeting between him and PCRRU investigators took place at the Force Headquarters Annex, Moloney Street, Lagos on Monday 21st August, 2017.

“PCRRU preliminary investigation shows that the policemen on the 16th of August, 2017 at about 11:00am intercepted the complainant along Ogudu road and in the course of their interaction went beyond their mandate by going through the contents of the complainant’s mobile phone.

“Bank statement of account confirms that the complainant following the orders of one of the officers transferred the sum of fifteen thousand Naira (N15,000) into the account of a third party (name withheld).”

Shogunle reminded members of the public that the PCRRU is open 24/7 to receive and resolve all complaints relating to issues of police misconduct from across the country.

He said the channels to use are Calls Only: 08057000001, 08057000002 | SMS and WhatsApp Only: 08057000003 | BBM:58A2B5DE | Twitter: @PoliceNG_PCRRU | Facebook: www.facebook.com/PolicePCRRU | Email: complaint@npf.gov.ng OR PolicePCRRU@gmail.com