Alleged Police Extortion On East West Road, Activist Seeks IGP’s Intervention

Edith CHUKU

An activist, Mr. Harrison Gwamnishu has called for the immediate intervention of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, on the alleged extortion and harassment of citizens by some police officers along the East West road.

Gwamnishu expressed concern that policemen who should be responsible for protecting lives and properties were engaged in the supposed illicit activities, which he said has made travelling along the East West road a nightmare.

The activist lamented that the situation was particularly dire for individuals entering Bayelsa State from Delta State towards Mbiama axis and narrated how ten million naira was allegedly extorted from the family and friends of a corpse member traveling to Rivers State from Warri.

Gwamnishu in a video that went viral explained how the Surveillance Team of the zone 16, Yenagoa, allegedly extorted the money from the corper, less than three weeks after money was recovered from the anti-cultism unit of the same zone.

https://tnnonline.info/i-bother-about-health-of-my-constituents-says-criver-rep

He said, “we just left AIG Zone 16, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Some NYSC members traveling from Warri to Port Harcourt, they are Deltans, they were stopped at stop and search in Bayelsa State. Some officers who are now identified as Surveillance Team of the AIG Zone 16, Bayelsa State took their phones from them and searched them, they found nothing, so they asked them to please give them money for fuel because of the delay; they delayed them for almost 30 minutes, so the young man transferred N15,000 to the officer(displays account the money was transferred to). 

“After he transferred the money to the officer, Immediately the officer holding his phone saw his debit alert that he had some huge amount of money in his account, they dragged them into the car and took them away. 

“They drove them for about two hours in the bush going from different location to another until they now took them to zone 16, Bayelsa, where they took them to the office and forced them to make some video that they are alleged internet fraudsters “yahoo yahoo” and the rest of them. ” They started telling them to tell their family to send money. They started calling friends and families who were sending money to the account until they got about N10,000,000(ten million naira. Displays the transfers and amount on the screen) which they transferred to the POS account.” 

The activist added that the police officers allegedly involved in the matter threatened them when him and his team arrived the zone 16 to see the AIG regarding the issue. 

According to him, “The officers involved in this case were just patrolling round the yard, like they were laughing at us “eh, we don collect am na”, they were like threatening us in the place. 

“We went to AIG office, the PRO led us to the AIG office and the way the man shouted at me, the way the man treated me was very, very bad and it shows that he is working with these guys, he is the one backing them because if you are not the one backing them I don’t see the reason why you should be angry with me.” 

He pleaded with the IG to, “call the AIG Zone 16 to order because these guys have been doing these things for so long, alot of recovery have been made, these officers nothing happens to them, tomorrow they go back again to the road to go and commit more havoc. “The anti-cultism unit of that zone 16 money was recovered just last three weeks, the officers nothing happened to them, it continues, after this recovery what happens next? They will still go back to the road again to commit more havoc, extort people, hold them hostage and force them to transfer money to their account, it is criminal and I believe these officers are the ones destroying the image of Nigeria Police Force, they should be called to order.”