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Man accuses Lagos policemen of extorting N100,000, after labelling him ‘Yahoo boy’

Published

2 years ago

October 7, 2022

A Twitter user who simply identified himself as Oluwagbadura has narrated how police officers attached to the divisional headquarters at Soliki, Aguda, Lagos, extorted N100,000 from him after accusing him of being a “Yahoo Boy”.

In a series of tweets, Oluwagbadura said he was stopped by the officers on Thursday afternoon in what he thought was just a routine stop-and-search operation.

“At around 13:45 the Nigerian police stopped me at Soliki Aguda, Lagos, and conducted the usual search,” Oluwagbadura tweeted.

“After NOT finding anything on me, they proceeded to seize my phone and company laptop and tagged me a yahoo boy. My crime, they said, is that I do not have an ID card as a freelancer.

“They searched my phone. They called me a criminal for chatting with my friends on WhatsApp. They threatened to shoot and lock me up!”

Oluwagbadura said the policemen then took him to their station, where they forced him to admit to being a criminal.

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“They then asked me to write a statement and at the end I signed papers to bail myself. I transferred N100,000 to the POS vendor, and then paid N2,000 for charges,” the Twitter user said.

Oluwagbadura said six plain-clothes police officers carried out the act. He went on to say one of the officers, who goes by the name Ojo Ozeigbe, threatened to “deal with him in cell and nothing will happen”.

He also identified one other officer as Abdulkareem Sulaiman.

After he was eventually freed by the men, the Twitter user narrated the harassment he suffered in their hands and solicited help from Nigerians so he could retrieve his N100,000.

“First, thanks to everyone who contributed a tweet! I got my money back COMPLETELY!”, he wrote hours later when the sum extorted from him had been recovered.

FIJ made several phone calls to Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson for the state, to know whether the police officers mentioned in the matter would face disciplinary actions but they were not answered.

On Friday afternoon, Hundeyin made it known via his official Twitter handle that the Lagos State Police Command had summoned the six policemen to its headquarters in Ikeja.

“The complainant positively identified them all. They have been handed over to the Provost department for appropriate disciplinary measures,” Hundeyin tweeted.

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Navy arrests 19 Nigerians attempting to reach Europe by hiding on ship

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Navy arrests 19 Nigerians attempting to reach Europe by hiding on ship

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT has successfully apprehended 19 individuals attempting to stow away on Europe-bound vessels.

In a statement issued on Saturday in Lagos, the ship’s Information Officer, Lt. Hussaini Ibrahim, disclosed that 15 stowaways were intercepted on Dec. 19 aboard the European-bound Moto Tanker (MT) KRITI RUBY. Another four were caught on Dec. 21 aboard MT MCC YANBU.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the stowaways boarded the vessels at night and concealed themselves in the rudder compartment while attempting to illegally migrate to Europe,” Ibrahim stated.

The Navy’s Quick Response Team (QRT), operating from ATLAS COVE and using the Falcon Eye Alignment under the Nigerian Navy Maritime Domain Awareness Facility, facilitated the interception of the 15 individuals near the Lagos fairway buoy.

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Ibrahim further explained that credible intelligence led to the interception of the additional four stowaways by Navy personnel deployed on escort duties aboard the vessel.

“The prompt response of the QRT saved the stowaways from exposure to life-threatening situations during the long voyage,” he added.

The first group of 15 individuals has been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Port/Marine Command, Apapa, for further investigation and necessary action. The remaining four suspects will also be transferred in due course.

“The presence of stowaways poses serious security threats to maritime operations, including risks of smuggling, piracy, drug and human trafficking, among other maritime crimes,” Ibrahim noted.

He emphasized that under the leadership of Chief of Naval Staff Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, NNS BEECROFT will continue maintaining security along Lagos waterways and surrounding creeks to support safe maritime activities and economic growth.

Navy arrests 19 Nigerians attempting to reach Europe by hiding on ship

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Troops arrest four Ambazonian rebels in Taraba

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Nigerian military troops

Troops arrest four Ambazonian rebels in Taraba

Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 of the Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have arrested four suspected members of Ambazonian rebels in Taraba.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ambazonia is a rebel group operating in neighbouring Cameroon Republic.

A statement on Saturday in Jalingo by Capt. Olubodunde Oni, Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations, said the suspects were arrested at a hotel in Takum town.

The statement said that acting on credible intelligence, the suspects were tracked and apprehended.

According to the statement, during initial interrogation, the suspects confessed to being part of the rebel group involved in arms proliferation in exchange for cocoa with their Nigerian collaborators.

It said that four mobile handsets were recovered from the suspects now in detention undergoing further investigation.

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The statement also said that in another operation following actionable intelligence, troops deployed at Natilde community in Bantaji District of Wukari Local Government Area intercepted a truck with registration number WKR 66 BB, transporting 19 pieces of stolen pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).

It said that further collaborative efforts with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Wukari Division led to the recovery of an additional 11 pipes, bringing the total to 30.

“The recovered items have been handed over to the NSCDC Wukari Division for further investigation and necessary action.

“The 6 Brigade Nigerian Army will remain resolute in its commitment to safeguarding lives and property while ensuring the security of critical national infrastructure.

“We urge members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to enhance our collective efforts in maintaining peace and security,” the statement added.

Troops arrest four Ambazonian rebels in Taraba

(NAN)

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NIMC warns against extortion, reaffirms free NIN enrollment

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

NIMC warns against extortion, reaffirms free NIN enrollment

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued a stern warning to the public, reiterating that enrollment for the National Identification Number (NIN) is entirely free of charge. The Commission emphasized that it neither charges nor authorizes its staff or Front End Partners (FEPs) to demand payment for NIN registration.

In a statement released on Friday by Dr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, NIMC reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy for extortion and pledged to take decisive action against offenders. To ensure compliance, the Commission has directed security agencies to identify and prosecute any staff or FEPs involved in such illegal activities.

“Anyone caught engaging in extortion will face sanctions in line with the provisions of the law, including the withdrawal of licenses for culpable FEPs,” the statement read.

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NIMC also urged the public to report any cases of extortion. Complaints can be sent via email to [email protected] or by calling 0700-2255-646. The Commission assured Nigerians that all reports would be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate measures would be taken to address any violations.

Reaffirming its commitment to efficient and transparent service delivery, NIMC pledged to provide seamless and hassle-free enrollment processes for all Nigerians. The Commission expressed its determination to eliminate corruption and protect citizens from exploitation during NIN registration.

This announcement is a clear signal of NIMC’s dedication to upholding integrity and ensuring that the NIN enrollment process remains accessible and free for all. Nigerians are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any attempts at extortion to help maintain the credibility of the system.