Choose between death and ransom, police tell two men taken to Edo bush

An Ondo State resident has narrated to FIJ how policemen extorted N61,000 from him and a friend on Friday.

The 23-year-old student said he was travelling with his friend from Akure, the Ondo State capital, to Benin in Edo State when policemen stopped their vehicle.

He said the policemen accused them of fraud, took them to a bush and threatened to shoot them dead if they didn’t pay a ransom.

Folami said they were made to part with a combined N61,000 before they were let go by the police.

Recounting his ordeal, he said, “A friend and I were travelling from Akure to Benin. Along the Owo road, some 15 minutes to Benin, policemen stopped us.

“They said they wanted to search us, as we were the only young boys in the vehicle.

• You have capacity to rule Nigeria, Emir of Dutse tells Tinubu
• APC receives thousands of NNPP defectors as Gawauna/Garo campaign progresses
• Alpha-Beta ex-MD, who accused Tinubu of fraud, endorses him

“So, I brought down my bag. They searched and didn’t see anything. I told them I was a student, then they took us across the road and said they wanted to search our pockets.

“I emptied my pockets, and there was nothing. They then branded us ‘Yahoo’ boys. So, I gave them my phone and told them to search through it. When they did and found nothing, they started harassing us and asking us to get into their vehicle.

“Before I could call for help, the bus driver dropped my bag and my friend’s in front of the police and left.

“We were in the middle of nowhere. The police said they were taking us to a police station, but they took us into a bush. I was speaking up but my friend was crying.

“They told us they could shoot and kill us and nothing would happen as no one knew where we were.

“We cooperated with them, so they checked our accounts and found money. They took us out of the bush to a Point of Sale merchant and made us transfer N31,000 from my account, while my friend transferred N30,000 from his before they let us go.”

Folami said he was unable to get the names of the policemen, as they were wearing black uniforms with no name tags.

He, however, was able to get a picture of one of them.

Policeman photographed by Folami

Folami said he was scared to approach the police to report the matter as he feared for his life.

When FIJ called Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, she said, “The man said he was some minutes away from Benin, so that’s not Ondo.

“He can come forward and report the matter to the police, but according to him, he had left Akure and was close to Benin, so it’s not Ondo.”

FIJ also called Chidi Nwabuzor, Edo State police spokesman, for comments.

He said he was unaware of the matter, but invited Folami to visit him for a resolution. He allayed the student’s fears and said, “The matter will be treated with utmost confidentiality.”