The Lagos State Police Command has urged members of the public not to pay any money when filing complaints or securing bail at any police station within the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos, following reports of extortion by some officers.
Hundeyin described such acts as corrupt practices and encouraged residents to report any demand for money to the Lagos State Command’s Complaint Response Unit (CRU).
“People should not succumb to extortion; rather, they should make a formal complaint of officers who demand money for any offence to the state through CRU of the Lagos State Police Command,” he stated. “People should learn to take advantage of solutions that the police have made available.”
Hundeyin noted that the Command remains committed to professionalism and accountability and reiterated that bail remains free, in line with the Nigeria Police Force’s public service charter.
Despite this assurance, some Lagos residents have expressed concerns about persistent extortion by police personnel.
A victim who spoke to NAN alleged that he was arrested in the Meiran area after being falsely accused of stealing a mobile phone. He said he was asked to pay ₦2,000 before he could write a statement, and even after the actual culprit was identified, officers demanded ₦10,000 for bail. After negotiation, he paid ₦5,000.
Another victim, an undergraduate, recounted how he was stopped at Oshodi during a police stop-and-search operation. He was taken to the station over his inability to produce a receipt for his phone.
“They eventually asked me to make a ₦10,000 payment to secure my freedom. I told them I only have ₦5,000 in my account; after checking my account balance to confirm the amount, one of the officers took me to a POS operator to withdraw ₦4,000 for them,” he said.
In another case, a resident who went to report a burglary at a police station said officers demanded ₦13,000 before taking his statement. He eventually paid ₦12,000.
The PPRO reiterated that such acts are unacceptable and should not be tolerated. He cited a recent incident where a complainant contacted the CRU after being asked for money, and intervention from the unit led to his release without payment.
Hundeyin urged the public to make use of the CRU and other established channels to report misconduct by police officers, assuring that such complaints would be thoroughly investigated.
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