The Lagos State Police Command has summoned four of its officers to account for their alleged involvement in the extortion of N1 million from some National Youth Service Corps members.
In a post shared late Thursday by X user Olúyẹmí Fásípè, tweeting via a verified handle @YemieFash, revealed the incident. He had tweeted:
Dear @BenHundeyin ,
Your officers today in Surulere extorted 1 million naira from 3 corps members. They were threatened with firearms, kidnapped, and taken to the KAFARU OLUWOLE TINUBU HOUSE AREA C POLICE COMMAND of the @LagosPoliceNG where they were robbed. Their offense was… pic.twitter.com/8nJeD0iIFq
— Olúyẹmí Fásípè AICMC (@YemieFash) September 26, 2024
Fásípè added that one of the corps members had failed to present a hard copy of his driver’s licence, which allegedly prompted the extortion.
In what appeared to be an incriminating video as tweeted by @YemieFash, the driver is shown presenting some vehicle documents to one of the officers, who asked, “What of your driver’s licence?” The driver responded, “I’m renewing it.”
The officer then requested the renewal papers, which the driver could not present in hard copy. Subsequently, a man dressed in plain clothes, not immediately identifiable as a police officer, was seen removing the vehicle’s number plate, after which an argument ensued.
The corps members were then led to the police station, during which an accompanying officer ordered them not to use their mobile phones, warning that they would be required to write statements at the station if they did.
One of the officers informed the corps members that it was an offence of “impersonation” to wear only the NYSC cap without the full uniform.
In response, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, first expressed doubts that the complaint was genuine. After some time, he tweeted back as follows:
🙂 no I no ask.
It’s curious though that the camera did not show where ‘He snatched my phone and went through my chats. I told them to let me go and withdraw myself…I gave the other guy my PIN…because they questioned us separately, it was when we came back together we knew…
— SP Benjamin Hundeyin (@BenHundeyin) September 26, 2024
Also, the Lagos State Police Command tweeted back:
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Kindly inform affected persons to send us a WhatsApp message via 09111111151 to enable us commence investigation immediately.
— Lagos State Police Command (@LagosPoliceNG) September 26, 2024
On Friday [today], @BenHundeyin revealed the identities of the erring officers in a tweet:
The men have been summoned and their trial has commenced.
We urge the complainants to visit the Complaint Response Unit at the State Headquarters to testify at the ongoing trial. https://t.co/yu6Nnm69AP pic.twitter.com/n1Hs2yraIf
— SP Benjamin Hundeyin (@BenHundeyin) September 27, 2024
