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The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre ( RULAAC), has condemn the activities of some policemen attached to the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IGP IRT) for using the name of IGP Mohammed Adamu to “blackmail, threaten and extort” some Nigerians.
RULAAC said in Lagos that a victim identified as Uzondu Miracle Okenwa had on Sunday morning, about 9.46am called the organisation requesting for help in alleged harassment by some Police officers attached to the IGP Monitoring Unit.
The Coordinator of RULAAC, Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma said in a statement made available to Nationalwire that the victim called from Iyana Ilogbo, after Sango and immediately requested that he sends his complaint via WhatsApp.
It was learnt that Okenwa narrated how his cousin was arrested by IGP team and accused of phantom robbery that cannot be substantiated.
According to him, “Last two months, some IGP IRT came to my house and took me away with allegation of being involved in internet fraud. The next day, I was released with a warning never to engage in it again.
“However, the next Friday, they came back to my house and took my cousin while one of the police later called accusing me that they had an information that I was a kidnapper and armed robber.”
RULAAC disclosed that when they asked for the contact of the police officer, Okenwa further narrated that, “I have one of the policemen’s number: +234 816 676 1066.”
He reiterated that when the policeman , whose name was not disclosed called, he demanded for N200,000 claiming that if the money is paid, he would let me go scot-free and release my cousin that has been held in their cell for two days.
“I was asked to bring N200,000 and he would set me free and my brother who has been in their cell for two days would be released. They accused me of Armed Robbery and kidnapping. They took my cousin Sango police station,” he reiterated.
In other to have his audio evidence demanding for bribe to release his cousin, RULAAC requested that he called the police back and record it but when he did, the policeman further reduced the initial amount on ground that he begged not having such money.
“When I called back, he said instead of the initial N200,000 I should bring N100,000 while my cousin’s remain N50, 000. I told him that I don’t have much on me. At that point, he further reduced it to N70,000 while my cousin’s remain the same amount. He told me that anytime I have the money, I should get back to him.”
RULAAC, therefore, call on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to use his good offices to restrain his officers from engaging in corrupt practices in order to carry out effective policing.
Meanwhile, RULAAC, a Non-governmental organization while condemning the behaviours of the yet to be identified policemen, has forwarded the recorded audio conversation between the victim and the police to the police authority.
Nwanguma reiterated that a practice where the police was demanding for bribe to free an alleged suspect was itself a crime against humanity.
