By our Reporter
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested some policemen attached to the Zone 16 Command in Yenagoa, Bayelsa for their alleged involvement in a N3 million extortion case.
This was disclosed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
The officers allegedly extorted the said sum from a Ghana-based Nigerian man, identified as Liberty Kelechi Isaac, at gunpoint on Monday.
Speaking with newsmen, Isaac said: “My name is Liberty Kelechi Isaac. I am from Nguru Nworie autonomous community in the Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. I am based in Ghana. I have not been to Nigeria for six years now. I came to Nigeria to attend a friend’s traditional wedding in Bayelsa State.
“After attending the traditional wedding and we were driving back to Imo State and around Udi axis some policemen flagged us down. We stopped and they asked me to unlock my phone. I asked them why and they said I must open my phone. I reminded them that the Inspector General of Police asked Nigerians not to allow policemen on the road to access their phones. Immediately I said that, they started beating me.
“I asked them to take me to a police station but they refused. So instead of me to die, I obeyed them. Immediately they accessed my phone, they went to my messages log and saw a N10 million bank alert. Immediately they saw the alert they shouted ‘na dem’. At that point the beating increased. They said that if I don’t give them N6 million they will kill all of us. Out of fear I started negotiating with them and at the end of the day I transferred N3 million to them in two bank accounts they provided and they drove with us and stopped us at Ahoada in Rivers State and drove back.
“I transferred N2 million to one Yusuf Mustafa of Moniepoint Microfinance Bank and I also transferred N1 million to one Jerry Ventures of Moniepoint Microfinance Bank.”