A Lagos State, Nigeria, resident and Ekiti State University student has described how armed police officers allegedly beat him and made him give N150,000 to a Point of Sale (POS) agent.
The student screamed out on X, requesting assistance from the police PPRO and CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi so that his suffering would not go unpunished and that his money would be returned.
He said, “I am a student of Ekiti State University, living in Lagos, Nigeria.”
“At exactly 11:23 AM today, I and my friend got assaulted by the Nigerian Police Force at Ojota, Lagos. I’ve been hearing and seeing Police brutality on social media, I never prayed for a day like this.”
“We were coming from Alakuko, I ordered an InDrive to Ebutte, Ikorodu.”
“We got stopped at Ojota by a first group of armed police, they asked us to get down from the vehicle, they ask to search my phone, I opened it for them knowing fully well I have nothing implicating on my phone, they asked me what I do, I told them I’m a student, they asked me to open my portal, which I did and showed them my school ID.”
“They then asked us to go after they didn’t see anything on my phone.
“On our way, in less than 1 minute after we’ve gone past the first set, we saw another set of armed police, about 10 of them, they stopped us and asked same questions, what do I do, and am I into fraudulent activities, which I answered respectfully saying I am not.”
“They asked to search my phone, I opened it, opened my portal.”
“Then one of them snatched my phone from me and was searching, he saw trading apps and saw trading groups on my WhatsApp.”
“He then revolted saying I’m into cryptocurrency that cryptocurrency is illegal in Nigeria and I have to follow them to the station.”
“They asked my uber driver to go, I said I haven’t paid him, then they took me and my friend to their vehicle, their vehicle (a fully tinted SIENNA), I got assaulted there saying we have to go to the station, that we will be investigated by their boss at the office, I got scared, cos of police brutality I’ve been hearing and seeing on X, I never believed one day this will happen to me.”
“They asked me to pay 200 thousand naira if I want to go home without been taken to the station.”
“I was frightened, I told them I do not have that amount, I’m a student.”
“Then they took me to a POS merchant, they said I should send #150,000 naira to the POS merchant.
“I have the receipt with me and the pos account number.”
“I have been brutalized and forced to send the money I’m meant to use as my school fees.”
“Help me please, I don’t want to be assaulted in vain.”
Police Headquarters’ Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has called on Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, to look into the situation and find the personnel involved.
“Police officers checking people’s phones while they are on the road is not permitted and has been condemned by the force.
We need to act on complaints like this,” he said. He should get in touch with Benjamin or call any of our helplines, I strongly advise.