Policeman caught extorting Lagos motorists despite outcry

A cop attached to the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command was on Thursday caught on camera extorting motorists plying the Berger-Arepo-Mowe stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway despite outcry by some drivers about the daily extortion.

PUNCH Metro had reported on September 19 that drivers in the Iyana-Ipaja, Ikotun, and Berger areas of the state had raised concerns over a new tactic deployed by the police to extort money from them.

Our correspondent, who monitored the situation in these areas following the complaints, had observed that police personnel stationed at these bus stops employed the services of louts, known locally as “agberos,” to extort money from the drivers.

It was also observed that the louts would approach bus conductors to demand payments, often referred to as “owo olopa” or “owo security” on behalf of the police.
Meanwhile, monitoring activities around the Berger Bus Stop inward Mowe on Thursday, our correspondent observed an officer of the RRS demanding money from some of the motorists.

It was further observed that the heavily-built cop collected N200 from three motorists after which he purchased a pet drink and a roll of sausage from nearby traders before proceeding to the back of the stationed RRS armoured vehicle.

When our correspondent approached some of the drivers, they identified the cop as an officer of the Lagos RRS and disclosed that they had been subjected to extortion from the police for a long time.
A driver who did not want to be mentioned in print said that the situation had become a routine activity by the RRS.

That is what we face every day on this road. As a driver, you must pay ‘owo olopa’ either through their agent or to them personally. They are not ashamed to collect it and I don’t think they will stop,” the driver said.
Another motorist who identified himself simply as Driver, disclosed that the drivers had accepted the extortion as part of the tax they paid as there seemed to be no help in sight.

“What can we do than to accept fate? It is part of our unofficial tax so we factor it into the transport fare we charge. Nobody will stop them from extorting us,” Driver said.

Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, were unsuccessful, as he had yet to reply to messages sent to his phone and calls made to his line as of the time of filing this report.

PUNCH Metro reported in September that following an outcry by some motorcyclists, a PUNCH Metro correspondent had caught on camera two military personnel believed to be officials of OP MESA while extorting some motorcyclists at the White House junction along Governor’s Road in the Ikotun area of the state.

The officers who were fully kitted while bearing arms had engaged the motorcycle riders for about 10 minutes. A closer move to them revealed how they haggled over the amount they sought to collect from the transport workers.
A standby motorcycle which conveyed them around the community was also seen waiting for them at the junction while the conversation lasted.

When approached, the motorcyclists had refrained from speaking on the issue due to fear of being victimised by the perpetrators.

Residents had however confirmed that the soldiers paid regular visits to the place to extort the motorcyclists.