The officers forcibly pulled him out of the vehicle, bundled him into a patrol car, drove him deep into the bush and coerced him into handing over N70,000 in cash.
A recent internal communication from the Nigerian police has confirmed a disturbing case of police brutality and extortion allegedly carried out by three serving Inspectors of the Oyo State Police Command. The incident occurred on Thursday, May 8, 2025, around 11 am, along the Ife/Ibadan Expressway near Ikire, Osun State.
According to the police signal, a team of detectives led by Divisional Police Officer (DPO) CSP Bamidele Olatona responded to intelligence that some travellers had been kidnapped and taken into the Akinrere bush along the highway. Upon arrival, the team made a shocking discovery that lead to the arrest of three police officers.
The officers arrested were:
Inspector Awo Augustine (AP/No.209309)
Inspector Ola Benjamin (AP/No.355412)
Corporal Olatoye Olawale (F/No. 508953)
All three officers are serving under the Oyo State Police Command. They were found in the company of a civilian, Adeoye Adebayo, who was their victim.
During interrogation, Adebayo narrated the traumatic experience he endured. He stated that he boarded a commercial vehicle from Abeokuta to Akure but was stopped by policemen at the Asejire area in Ibadan.
The officers forcibly pulled him out of the vehicle, bundled him into a patrol car, drove him deep into the bush and coerced him into handing over N70,000 in cash.
Adebayo was released after handing over the money, but the incident has undoubtedly left him shaken.
The report confirms that the extorted cash has been recovered from the officers involved. The case is expected to be transferred to Osogbo for further investigation.
The wireless message reads: “INCIDENT REPORT ON DISCREDIBLE CONDUCT, TODAY BEING 08/05/2025 AT ABOUT 1100HRS UPON INFORMATION RECEIVED THAT SOME TRAVELLERS HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED AND TAKEN TO AKINRERE BUSH ALONG IFE/IBADAN EXPRESS WAY IKIRE, IMMEDIATELY THE TEAM OF DETECTIVES INCLUDE OPERATIVE MINE LED BY DPO MINE MR BAMIDELE OLATONA CSP SWIFT TO ACTION WHERE THREE POLICEMEN NAMED AP/NO.209309 INSPR. AWO AUGUSTINE, AP/NO.355412 INSPR OLA BENJAMIN AND F/NO. 508953 CPL OLATOYE OLAWALE SERVING AT OYO STATE COMMAND WERE ARRESTED WITH ONE ADEOYE ADEBAYO AND BROUGHT TO THE STATION, DURING INTERROGATION, THE VICTIM NAMED ADEOYE ADEBAYO SAID THAT HE BOARD A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE FROM ABEOKUTA TO AKURE GETTING TO ASEJIRE AREA IBADAN A TEAM OF POLICEMEN STOP THEIR VEHICLE AND ORDER HIM TO COME DOWN AND ENTERED THEIR PATROL CAR AND DROVE HIM INTO BUSH WHERE THEY FORCEFULLY OBTAINED THE SUM OF SEVENTY THOUSAND NAIRA ONLY #70,000. FROM HIM, MEANWHILE THE CASH EXHIBIT HAS BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE POLICEMEN, CASE WILL BE TRANSFER TO OSOGBO FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION PLEASE.”
(SaharaReporters)