Ayomide Oladapo, a student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akoko-Akungba, has narrated how four policemen attached to the Criminal Investigation Department in Iyaganku area of Ibadan, Oyo state, extorted N40,000 from him on March 31 after forcing him to admit he was an internet fraudster, FIJ can report.
Ayomide stated that although he was not able to get the names of any of the police officers, as their name tags were covered with jackets, he could still identify any of them if given the opportunity.
The university undergraduate stated that the event happened at Dugbe as he and his friend hopped on a bike after shopping at Shoprite Mall in the area.
“The policemen were following us from the Shoprite; they waylaid our bike with their private car. They asked to check our phones and concluded we were internet fraudsters,” he told FIJ.
“We were driven to their police station in the Iyaganku area of Ibadan and asked to write: ‘I am an internet fraudster. I vow not to do Yahoo again and if found doing so, I will be arrested.’
Ayomide added: “It was like they were reciting the national anthem. After writing the statement, they forced us to go to the nearest ATM and withdrew N40,000 before releasing us around 11pm.”
When contacted for comments, Adewale Osifeso, Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, didn’t answer his call or respond to his text message.
Six months after the nationwide protest against police brutality, the news of police extorting Nigerian youths continues to dominate the media.
Just last week, FIJ reported about how some gun-wielding officers from Owode Egba Police Station at Isiun area of Ogun State also extorted N153,000 from a student of the Lagos State University.
Past findings revealed that these police officers usually collaborate with a nearby Point of Sale (POS) operator so as to avoid being directly tracked to the crime.
