Emmanuel Chibuike, a 22-year-old electrician, has accused policemen attached to Ogidi police division, Anambra State, of extorting N40,000 from him.

Chibuike told FIJ that on December 19, he was at New Parts in the Onitsha area of the state, preparing to board a commercial vehicle to Nkwelle at about 1 pm, when policemen snatched his phone and ordered him into their 18-seater bus.

He said seven officers, four in uniform and three in plain clothes, were on the bus.

They accused him of fraud, threatened him and beat him with fists and machetes as they drove to the front of their station.

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Chibuike told FIJ that the policemen never admitted him into the station but demanded N50,000 from him while at the gate. He parted with N40,000, half of which went into the bank account of Elendu Sunday Ozuma, one of the policemen.

Recounting his ordeal, Chibuike said, “While on my way to Nkwelle around 1 pm, I stopped at New Parts to board a bus. Then policemen came from nowhere.

“The first policeman snatched my phone when I was still collecting my change from the keke rider that drove me to New Parts. I turned, ready to drag my phone from whoever it was, then the second policeman told me that he was a policeman in plain clothes.

“I calmed down. They told me that their commander wanted to see me, so I went straight to where their other men were, including the commander.

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“The moment I got there, they dragged me inside the bus. No questions asked. They cuffed me, called me a thief and a ‘Yahoo’ boy. Before I could even show them my business card, they started beating and harassing me. I tried everything I could to attract the attention of people but they were seven and with guns.

“They tore my clothes and my bag. They drove off straight to Ogidi police station (area command) and threatened to shoot me ‘and nothing will happen’.

He said he gave N20,000 cash to the policemen to make up N40,000 in exchange for his freedom.

Chibuike said he had been living in fear since the incident and feared the worst should he encounter the officers again.

FIJ, on Tuesday, sent a message to Ikenganyia Anthony, spokesman for the Anambra police.

He said he had contacted the station’s DPO and would investigate the matter further.

Ojukwu is a reporter with FIJ in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.