Lagos: The Police Command in Lagos State says it has begun investigating a case of alleged attempted extortion of its officers at gunpoint. The command began the investigation after an X user, Boluwatife, with the handle @Tife_badass, shared details of how police officers from Onikan Police Station Tactical Squad attempted to extort him at gunpoint.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the incident occurred when the officers apprehended Boluwatife and his friend at about 1:00 a.m. on Thursday along the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge, allegedly accusing him of murder. Boluwatife recounted that the officers started cocking their guns as his car approached, causing him to panic and stop. Five officers allegedly dragged him out of the car, accusing him of being the person who killed a policeman in Lekki, and subsequently handcuffed and bundled him into their Hilux vehicle. His friend was also reportedly forced into the Hilux, while one officer drove Boluwatife’s car behind them.
Upon arrival at the Onikan station, Boluwatife stated that he was told to remove his shirt, shoes, and socks, with the officers indicating that he would spend the night in a cell. Despite a search of his car and verification of his documents, which revealed nothing illegal, the officers allegedly demanded N3 million, threatening him when he refused to comply. After two hours, the demand was reportedly reduced to N500,000.