A Lagos-based car dealer, Akinsola Akinade, has alleged that six police officers extorted N200,000 from him after threatening to falsely label him a kidnapper and plant evidence in his vehicle.
The incident reportedly occurred on September 25 around the Berger area of Lagos State, while Akinade was on his way from Surulere to Abuja to deliver a Honda Accord to a customer.
According to his account, Akinade stopped to inspect the vehicle after noticing a minor fault. He said the officers, who arrived in a commercial bus, accosted him and threatened to take him to a police station in Oshodi.
However, instead of taking him to a station, Akinade alleged that the officers drove him around Lagos before stopping at an undisclosed location around Gbagada.
He claimed the policemen then threatened to accuse him of kidnapping and plant incriminating evidence in his car unless he paid them money.
The officers allegedly demanded N500,000, but after pleading with them, Akinade said they agreed to accept N200,000.
Unable to raise the money himself, he began contacting family members and friends while allegedly being held under threat.
A fellow car dealer in Abuja, Yusuf Adebiyi, eventually helped facilitate the payment. According to Akinade, the officers provided two bank account numbers and instructed him to split the N200,000 between the accounts.
Adebiyi subsequently transferred N100,000 into each account, after which Akinade was released.
The incident prevented him from completing his journey to Abuja that day, forcing him to make the trip the following day.
Akinade was reportedly able to take a photograph of one of the officers involved.
However, efforts to identify the policemen have so far proved unsuccessful. When contacted, the Police Complaint Response Unit said it could not identify the officers because Akinade was never taken to a police station.
The CRU also reportedly said the available photograph was insufficient to identify the officers because they were not wearing uniforms displaying names or badge numbers.
The allegations have therefore raised concerns over the conduct of the officers involved, particularly the alleged threats to fabricate evidence and the demand for money in exchange for Akinade’s freedom.
