The Lagos State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, has urged residents not to pay any money when filing complaints at police stations across the state.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Lagos, Hundeyin addressed public concerns about ongoing police extortion, encouraging anyone who experiences such misconduct to report it directly to the Command’s Complaint Response Unit.
This comes as several Lagos residents have shared troubling accounts of being extorted by police officers who allegedly demanded payment before documenting their complaints, despite the Nigeria Police Force’s longstanding campaign slogan, “Bail is Free.”
In one case, a victim recalled being arrested by officers in the Meiran area after his neighbour accused him of stealing a phone.
“Police apprehended me in the Meiran area of Lagos after my neighbour accused me of stealing his iPhone.
“At the station, they collected N2,000 before giving me a sheet of paper to write my statement.
“While writing the statement, the complainant came to the station to inform them that the phone had been recovered from another neighbour who stole it.
“Instead of the police releasing me after the suspected thief was apprehended, they demanded N10,000 bail. After negotiation, I parted with N5,000,” he narrated.
Another account came from an undergraduate who said he was extorted after being stopped in Oshodi during a routine stop-and-search.
“The police stopped me on the road during their stop-and-search operation; they took my phone and were asking for the receipt.
“I told them I do not have a receipt and that it was a used phone handed down to me by my brother.
“They took me to the station and threatened to charge me with stealing and armed robbery, and I started begging. They eventually asked me to make a ₦10,000 payment to secure my freedom.
“I told them I only have N5,000 in my account; after checking my account balance to confirm the amount, one of the officers took me to a Point of Service (POS) operator to withdraw N4,000 for them,” he said.
Another victim reported being charged ₦13,000 when he visited a police station to report a burglary.
“Someone burgled an empty apartment in our estate and was living there illegally.
“When I went to the station to report, the police demanded N13,000 before I would be allowed to write a statement. I eventually paid N12,000,” he disclosed.
Reacting to these reports, Hundeyin reiterated that such practices are corrupt and unacceptable.
“People should not succumb to extortion; rather, they should make a formal complaint of officers who demand money for any offence to the state through CRU of the Lagos State Police Command.
“A person was asked for money; he called the CRU, who weighed in on the matter, and he was released without paying any money.
“People should learn to take advantage of solutions that the police have made available,” he said.
