In Kwara State, the scourge of police extortion continues to plague the lives of okada riders and youths. The situation has become so dire that many are left wondering if the police are truly serving to protect or merely preying on the vulnerable. Several cases of extortion have been recorded in the state daily with the victims left with a bitter experience.

A recent graduate of the University of Ilorin shared his harrowing experience of being extorted by police officers. He was stopped while on a motorcycle and accused of being a Yahoo boy. Despite his pleas, he was forced to transfer N30,000 from his account to a POS agent with another #4,000 cash collected from him.

The policemen blamed the extortion on the Binance account found on his phone which he uses to save his money.

“It happened on the 18th of March, 2024, during this last Ramadan. I went to Chupet to purchase a cream to be sent to someone in Offa. I was on my way to the car park. I took a motorcycle from Taiwo Road to Offa Garage, where the item will be sent. On my way, we pass through Coca-Cola Road because of the road construction in the Unity/Challenge area.

“The police domiciled before the KWATMA office stopped us and asked us to come down from the motorcycle. Unfortunately for me, the guy beside me is into fraud. They had a conversation with him because he is a regular customer to them and knows what they want. He transferred money to them.

“After he transferred the money, they came to interrogate me because of the iPhone I was holding. I told them I’m a Corps member. I was reluctant when they asked for my phone, but I succumbed to pressure as one of them pushed me to the ground. I was fasting, so I was weak. But they claimed I’m probably on drugs. They asked me to unlock my phone as they collected the #4,000 cash I had with me. They took me into their cab and started to interrogate me as they checked my phone. They found nothing except my Binance account with a balance of $5, which I was using to save my money.

“As a result of this, I urged them to give me my phone to call my parents and people who can rescue me from this situation. They said they would make me pay for being stubborn and for claiming to know my rights. They inquired about the password to my Bank App, and fortunately, we were just paid our monthly “alawee” (Allowance) and I was made to transfer a sum of 30,000 from my account to a POS beside the police headquarters and I was subsequently delayed for 1 hour, 30 minutes”, the unilorin student said, as he pleaded anonymity.

He stressed further that “the police do not have a name tag for identification but I was later made to know that one of them is nicknamed “Ikuramond” and another one as “Catcher” which many “Yahoo boys” and youth in Kwara State are familiar with them.”

Another victim, Paul Precious, a 300-level student at the University of Ilorin, narrated his ordeal in the hands of the police. He was stopped, harassed, and forced to transfer N16,000 from his account.

“In November last year, on a Saturday morning, I was in a tricycle on my way to my Dad’s poultry farm. The policemen stopped us as we highlighted Oyun Bridge. They asked me to drop off the tricycle and begin to check if there were any incriminating things on me and pushed me into their cab. I told them I was only going to the farm. They slapped me and queried my outfit as expensive. They collected my phone and searched thoroughly through my Opay account to see what I had. They queried me further on how I got the money, and I told them I work as an electrician aside from going to school. They accused me of being a Yahoo boy and took a drive heading to their station. On our way, they kept pressuring me and requested to collect #16,000 out of the little money I had in my account, and then I succumbed to their pressure. They stopped at Agric estate, Sango, and asked me to transfer the money to a POS agent. It was a horrible experience for me,” Precious said.

Dr. Sanusi Lafiagi, a senior lecturer at Al Hikmah University, Ilorin, shared the disturbing story of how his brother was arrested and detained despite no incriminating evidence being found. He had to pay N20,000 for his release, and an additional N2,500 was collected from his brother to secure the release of his motorcycle.

“This morning, on the 5th of July, I woke up to the frightening news of the arrest of my brother who works as an Okada rider after the close of work to support his family. His eldest daughter chatted me up that her father had not returned home since last night and was not picking up his calls, too. Incidentally, his elder brother phoned that he was being held at the Police Headquarters.

“On getting there, I inquired from the IPO handling the case what he was arrested and detained for. He said that he was caught riding bike around an area where a robbery incident reportedly happened a couple of days ago. So I asked if he was seen with any implicating item. He said no. So, why are you holding him?

“My brother doesn’t smoke or drink. He doesn’t steal or keep bad company. What exactly are you holding him for? I probed.

“After the back and forth which lasted for over 3 hours, I was asked to pay 30k to secure his release. At that point, they were not going to release him until bribe is paid. So, we entered another round of negotiations. In the end, I had to pay #20,000. OK, oga Police, bring account to pay into. He said na cash. I had to go out and withdraw at the nearest POS joint.

“Then, I was asked to give him #1,000 that he will use to settle those at the counter. After Jumu’ah, I called to know if he had been released, and he narrated to me how he had to pay them another 2,500 to secure the release of his motorcycle. That’s aside another #2,000 that I paid those at the gate begging for Friday gift”, Dr. Sanusi Lafiagi of Al Hikmah University, Ilorin.

The reporter witnessed another encounter of police extortion on June 10, 2024, at Post Office Ilorin, where okada riders were arrested and forced to pay N500 and N200 for their release.

“I was driving my okada along post off when I saw my brother, who was with the police. So I stopped by to hear from him, his offense. As I highlighted my bike trying to plead for my brother’s release, they took my key, and we both asked to pay #500 and #200 before we could be released”, said AbdulRazaq Suleiman

Another man, Ola Peter, narrated how his delayed for hours and his bike seized because the plate number was not properly fixed and, as such, demanded some money from him for the bike to be released.

Okada Riders’ Union Speaks Out

Oladele Abdulsalam, Zonal Chairman of Okada Riders in Post Office, stated that the majority of his members are guilty of one or two traffic offenses, which the police use as a deterrent for extortion.

“The police used to arrest us for breaching traffic rules which almost every one of us is guilty of, but in the long run, they solicit some amount from us to be released. But sometimes, some of our people who are guilty of some of the traffic rules use to entice them with money for the release of their bike”.

The Kwara State Police Command Response

DSP Ejire Adetoun Adeyemi acknowledged the situation, stating that the police have an internal process for dealing with erring officers.

“I would not deny we have one or two cases, and it’s not something we’ve not been able to resolve. Most of the time, we’ve had to deal with them. We have our internal form of deciding for our erring officers, and whenever we get such complaints upon the conclusion of our investigation, some punishments are usually melted out to such officers”.

However, the question remains: is enough being done to address this widespread issue?

The Law on Extortion

Police Act 2020

Section 105(1)(g): “A police officer who is found guilty of extortion commits a serious misconduct and shall be liable to dismissal or reduction in rank.”

Section 105(2): “For the purposes of this section, ‘extortion’ includes the taking of any money or other thing of value from any person by a police officer in the course of his duties, without the consent of that person, or with the consent of that person obtained by intimidation or other unlawful means.”

Section 99 of the Criminal Code Act in Nigeria. Extortion by public officers

“Any person who, being employed in the public service, takes, or accepts from any person, for the performance of his duty as such officer, any reward beyond his proper pay and emoluments, or any promise of such reward, is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for three years.”

The People of Kwara State deserves better as this investigation clamour for social justice. It is time for authorities to take concrete actions to address this scourge. The police department should take concrete steps to address extortion by rogue officers, including internal investigations, disciplinary actions, and transparency in reporting incidents. The police should equally ensure regular training programs for police officers on ethics, human rights, and community policing can help prevent extortion and promote a culture of respect and service.

Building trust between law enforcement and the community is also crucial. Regular town hall meetings, community outreach programs, and collaborative initiatives can help foster a positive relationship.

The union on their part, should continue to advocate for its members’ rights and provide legal assistance to victims of extortion.

However, the state government should launch a task force to investigate and prosecute cases of police extortion, ensuring that perpetrators face justice.

By this, the state can work towards a safer, more just environment where police serve to protect, not prey on, the vulnerable.

***This story was produced with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability Project (CMEDIA) funded by the MacArthur Foundation