Published 11th May, 2022

By Abdullah Tijani

A Twitter user who simply identified himself as ‘Oba Alalade’ has accused an officer of the Nigerian Police in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, known as Idris, of grievous human rights violations.

Earlier on Tuesday, FIJ had reported how the same policeman assaulted Damilola Adeleke, an Oyo State-based businessman, and his lady in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, because the police thought they did not have the means to own a car.

Adeleke also explained that his fiancée’s plan to secretly record the incident as the police said he would have to go to the station to explain his job and how he could afford his car prompted the police to physically assault her.

He said the officers hit her in the hand and leg, causing her to sustain injuries. Adeleke also said the officers damaged her phone in the process.

Oyo Police Injure Lady for Filming Them While Harassing Her Fiancée

Corroborating those claims, Alalade, who graduated from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, said he had bitter encounters with the officer in 2017 and 2018, when he visited LAUTECH to collect his statement of results.

He said he was waiting for a motorcycle with a friend around Aduin, Ogbomosho, in 2017, when Officer Idris, in a Volkswagen Golf, drove past them.

“On sighting us, the driver reversed and four policemen jumped from the car, cocked their guns and forced us to submit everything in our possession,” Alalade told FIJ.

“When they noticed that my friend and I were using iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus respectively, they said ‘our bill’ was N100,000.

“After a long argument and threats from them, they agreed to collect N15,000. They then drove my friend to Stanbic Bank ATM while I followed on a bike. In the end, they extorted money from us.”

Alalade said his second encounter with Idris was in 2018.

“I had to return to LAUTECH a second time to collect my statement of result when I was unable to collect it the previous time. This time, I was driving to the school premises when the officers, led by Idris, overtook my car and demanded for my documents,” Alalade said.

“They pulled me over and pointed their guns at me. After a while, they asked for my car documents and I gave them to the officers. Things escalated when they saw my iPhone 6 plus phone.

“Idris himself billed me N100,000. This time, however, I refused to be extorted. I told them to check my phone thoroughly so they could know I am not a criminal. After checking my phone and confirming that I was a livestock farmer, they collected N1,000 from me.”

Alalade said the officers delayed him for more than one hour during which he was also severally beaten.

FIJ made several calls to Adewale Osifeso, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, for comments on the officer’s alleged dealings, but he did not answer them. He had also not replied to an SMS sent to him at press time.

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