Mumeen Olayiwola, a tricycle driver, has criticised the alarming rate at which police officers extort money from tricycle operators in the Oke-Odo area of Lagos State.

Speaking with FIJ, Olayiwola said that the police officers, who are mostly women, come to the park every night to demand at least N100 from each driver in the area.

The tricycle driver also confirmed that these regular acts usually lead to heavy traffic in the evening.

“Sometimes, refusal to give them the money can result into illegal arrest,” Olayiwola said.

“In January, when I refused to pay an officer the N200 she requested, I was arrested for an hour and later released. I knew I was right, so I told her to take me to the station instead of being detained on the road but she refused.”

READ ALSO: On Weekends in Igando, Police Officers ‘Brazenly Create Traffic To Extort Motorists’

Olayiwola also explained that passengers are usually forced to alight from his tricycle when the police officers start requesting the money. He disclosed that the officers often conceal their identities by not wearing uniforms.

“Due to the delay they cause, passengers would always alight from our tricycles to find other means of getting to their destination,” Olayiwola said.

“My colleagues mostly go to other parks to work once it is 7 pm to avoid the police officers’ troubles.”

‘WHEN YOU SEE THEM, THEY ARE LIKE THRIFT COLLECTORS’

A commuter who asked not to be named also confirmed Olayiwola’s claim on the illegal acts of the police officers in the area.

“I board a tricycle every day from Ile-Epo to Iyana Ekoro. I have experienced the dubious acts of these people exhibit several times. They collect N100 forcefully from these drivers as if it is a legal thing to do,” he said.

READ ALSO: Foils Lagos Policemen’s Attempt to Extort N100,000 From Motorists

He continued by saying that one of the police officers in the area once asked him and other passengers that were in a tricycle to come down because their driver refused to pay the money she requested.

“When you see these officers, they are usually like thrift collectors, with money in their hands. Now, getting a tricycle at the bus stop is a great task because you would have to trek. This is because the police officers would have occupied the drivers close to the bus stop for money, “he said.

He further revealed that the slang used by the officers to collect money from the drivers is, ‘wey my money?’.

FIJ made several calls to Benjamin Hundeyin, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, for comments on the incident, but he did not answer them. He had also not replied to an SMS sent to him at press time.