Three officers of the Nigeria Police Force have been arrested for allegedly extorting N3 million from a Ghana-based Nigerian identified as Liberty Isaac in Bayelsa state.

In a post on his official X handle on Wednesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the Zone 16 command in Yenagoa was directed to produce the trio at the Force Headquarters.

“The policemen involved in this case of extortion of 3 million have been arrested. The men are attached to zone 16 command in Yenagoa. The command has been asked to produce the men at the FHQ. The FHQ will continue to sanitise the system and ensure justice is done in all cases brought to its notice. Thanks,” Mr Adejobi wrote.

The victim who hails from Nguru Nworie autonomous community in the Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, on Friday, narrated to journalists in Owerri, how the errant officers extorted N3 million from him on August 26, 2024.

According to Mr Isaac, he was in the country to attend a friend’s traditional marriage ceremony in the state, but on his way back from the event, the officers accosted him and two of his friends at Udi axis and forced him at gunpoint, to transfer the money to them.

He said the officers who refused to take him to the police station, forced him to unlock his phone, and when they saw his N10 million bank alert, beat him and threatened to shoot and kill him if he refused to transfer N6 million to them.

He said, “I haven’t 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, 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 access their phones. Immediately I said that, they started beating me. 

“They handcuffed me and drove us away and continued beating me. They threatened to kill me if I refused to open it. I asked them to take me to a police station but they refused. So instead of me dying 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 didn’t give them N6 million, they would 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 drove with us and stopped us at Ahoda in Rivers State and drove back.

“I have printed my account statements from my banks and these are the account details they provided which I transferred the money to. I transferred N2 million to one Yusuf Mustafa of Moniepoint Microfinance Bank and I also transferred N1million to one Jerry Ventures of Moniepoint Microfinance Bank with the account number 8179664512.’’

He stated that he consulted a lawyer and wrote to the command’s police public relations officer, and appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to, with the account details he provided, fish out the officers giving the police a bad image.

“I want justice. I want my money returned to me because it is for my project. I want justice. Let the policemen who did this to me be identified so that other Nigerians won’t become their victims. I don’t know if it is a crime for somebody to come back to his country. I don’t do any illicit business. I am a law-abiding citizen of this country. I want justice. Let the inspector-General of Police fish them out because they said they are from the IG squad,” he stated.

Mr Adejobi however said the officers had been identified and investigation was ongoing but didn’t reveal the identities of the erring cops.

“This matter has been taken up by the FHQ and the CP Bayelsa, Francis Idu. The men have been identified. We will continue to act on it tomorrow Monday for further investigation. The act is unacceptable and condemned. I personally engaged the CP and we are on it. Justice will be served. Thanks,” the police spokesperson said.