Barely one month after authorities of the Lagos Police Command dealt with the case of extortion of N1million by four of its operatives from some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), they are now confronted with yet another, for exactly the same amount.
This time, it is the case of one Efemena Richard, described as an upcoming artist, who just returned from South Africa and was heading to Warri, Delta State, to see his mother.
Richard is telling exactly the same story as the one faced by the NYSC members in Surulere area of Lagos.
Already, the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) headquarters in Abuja has ordered an investigation into the matter.
Richard, while recounting his ordeal in the hands of the policemen, narrated how he was forced to cough out N1 million after he was accosted by the officers, reportedly attached to the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, who, thereafter, forced him to sign some papers, while taking his photographs at the same time.
An X user identified as Harrison Gwamnishu, but tweeting as #HarrisonBbi18, who shared a video of the artiste narrating his ordeal via his X handle, recounted details of the exchange between him and the artiste, noting that the policemen forced him to transfer the sum (of N1million) from his account before leaving to Warri.
The exchange, as he recounted, went thus: “Boss, [the] police just extorted me. They took 1 million naira from me after searching my phone at the airport and found nothing. I was headed to the airport when they stopped me. I told them I was already missing my flight but they refused to allow me to go.”
In the three-minute-long video, which was tagged, highlighted him, saying: “One million Naira extorted from a music artist #smookyhighgrade by some police officers attached to the Beesam Police Station before Muritala Mohammed Airport, Lagos. They asked for $10,000. They gave me papers to write (on) that they will leave me if I write anything I’m asked to write, so I can go catch my flight. I could have left the money but I can’t, it’s a lot of money. Nigerians, please help me, N1 million is no small money.”
Richard, who said he made a video of one of the men, showing the dark-stained tips of his fingers, which he said were proofs of thumbprints made, at the behest of the officers, also recalled that he was recorded in a video in which the officers forced him to speak to show that he was not under duress, and signed papers, to be used as his consent, after which he told his sister to send the N1million.
“They even asked for my blockchain wallet, I don’t know what concerns the police with that. I’m just an upcoming artiste, not a fraudster. I just came from South Africa to promote my music. I was heading home to see my mum before I experienced this.
Reacting to the tweet, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, urged the Lagos Police Command PRO, Benjamin Hundeyin, and the PRO, Airport Command, to commence an investigation into the matter.