Published 22nd Dec, 2021

By Emmanuel Uti

Olayinka, a social media influencer, has recounted how police officers attached to Ilasan Police Station in Lekki, Lagos, unjustly arrested and extorted N20,000 from him.

On Friday, Olayinka was on his way home at about 11:45 pm when a white shuttle, also known as korope, stopped close to him, and police officers who alighted from the vehicle asked him to hop in.

“I did not attempt to argue with them because they were armed. Two other danfo buses were behind the shuttle, and they belonged to the police officers. They searched me, but did not find anything incriminating, yet they did not let me go,” Olayinka told FIJ.

“The police officers drove to Chevyview estate and began to arrest people indiscriminately. Many people were arrested, even people in front of their houses. They entered Chevyview at about 12 am, and their two danfo buses were filled with people from the estate.”

The police officers did not tell Olayinka or the other people they arrested what they did wrong. They only drove from the estate to the police station.

As they drove to the station, Olayinka tried to reach his parents, but his phone went off. He then texted them through one of the young men the officers had apprehended in the estate. He said he told them Ilasan police officers had kidnapped him.

“When we got to the police station, the officers tried to put all of us in the cell, but many people protested. I didn’t, because I don’t argue with police officers with guns,” he said.

“With the help of other police officers, some people were able to leave that night. But for people without connections, they bragged and said it was a raid. They claimed Chevyview management invited them to the estate and arrest people. But I was picked up outside Chevyview.”

By 3 am, Olayinka heard his father and sister’s voices at the counter, and he screamed so they would be aware that he was indeed in the cell. Some police officers, however, ordered him to shut his mouth up. The officers did not attend to his relatives immediately.

“They finally let me go by 12 pm the following day. My father paid N20,000 before they let me go. They collected money from everyone. I am guessing they did it because a we are close to the festive season,” he told FIJ.

FIJ placed several calls to CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, the Lagos State Police spokesperson, but he did not answer them. He had also not responded to a text message sent to his phone at press time.

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