Lagos CP removes DPO, others for extorting mobile phone dealer

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Idowu Owohunwa, has removed the Okokomaiko Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and three other policemen for extorting N100,000 from a mobile phone dealer, Onyinyechi Anwusi, in Alaba International Market.

The CP has also instructed that the DPO and other officers indicted for extortion be disciplined for their actions against the trader.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State, Benjamin Hundeyin, said this in a statement he made available to newsmen on Saturday.

Although, Hundeyin did not reveal the name of the DPO and other policemen indicted in the extortion saga, a check on his official social media handle revealed that the DPO was Emmanuel Edebagha.

According to him, the DPO and other officers were already at the State Command headquarters and were about to be questioned over their conduct at the station.

“CP Idowu Owohunwa has ordered the immediate removal of DPO Okokomaiko for his lack of supervision of his men. CP Owohunwa has also ordered the commencement of disciplinary action against him and all his indicted officers (who are already in the state headquarters).”

The trader was said to have lamented how some of the policemen from the station forcefully extorted the sum of N100,000 from him without finding incriminating evidence on him.

A copy of the transaction receipt obtained showed that N101,000 was generated from Access Bank mobile App by the victim.

The receipt showed that the money was received by Ndueso Okon Archibong with account number 9550455342, Palm Pay Limited.

The victim narrated that the police officers accosted and searched him without a warrant, then forced him to unlock his mobile phone and search through the contents of his phone but nothing incriminating was found.

The officers thereafter forced him to write a statement under duress indicting himself as an internet fraudster popularly known “as a Yahoo Yahoo boy” and forcefully made him pay the sum of N100,000 for doing nothing.

It was gathered that the incident occurred days after men of the Nigerian police force, the same Okokomaiko division, extorted a citizen of the sum of N31,000 for not having an Identity Card.

A senior police officer at the station said the Okokomaiko Divisional Police Officer days ago still settled a similar case among the policemen, adding that the latest incident should be brought to the attention of the DPO.