The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest and detention of four policemen who allegedly extorted the sum of N204,000 from a 200-level student of the Ignatius Ajuru University, Port Harcourt.
The arrest of the cops, who were attached to the Puff Adder Tactical Police Unit, followed an order by the state Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka, after a human rights group brought the matter to his attention.
The group, Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, led the student, Kingsley Dike, to the CP after the undergraduate reported the matter to the organisation.
The student told journalists in Port Harcourt that he was on his way home around 10pm last Friday in a Bolt ride when the policemen flagged the car down along the Ogbogoro-Egbelu Road, near Port Harcourt.
Dike further said the operatives asked him and his colleague to alight from the vehicle, adding that a thorough search was conducted on them and the vehicle before they were taken to the police base in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area.
“They took my phone, asked me to unlock it, scrolled it and asked me to turn on my data; they didn’t find anything. So, when we got there (police station), we were asked to take off our clothes, which we did.
“We were thrown into a cell on March 4, 2022. On March 5, around 8.30am, we were asked to come out of the cell.
“We were asked to write a statement. While we were writing, they beat me up. The policeman that was interviewing me slapped me three times, forcing me to write that I was an Internet fraudster. They were also beating another victim behind their office.
“With the fear in me, I wrote that I was an Internet fraudster. After writing the statement, he said I should bring N150,000 to bail myself.
“I told him that I had no money and that the only money I had was for my school fees and it was with my mother. He said I should call my mother on the telephone and ask her to transfer the money to my account,” he stated.
Continuing, the student said,” So, I called my mum and informed her of the situation. She was shocked and started crying. She then transferred N150,000 to my account with fear.
“One Sergeant Eze, who was among those that stopped our vehicle, wrote an account number and asked me to transfer the money into that account.
“Before then, a relative of the other victim they were beating was asked to pay his money to my account so that we could pay all the money into the account that Sergeant Eze brought.
“So, the victim’s relative sent the money to my account and I transferred N204,000 to the account number Eze gave to me.
“After then, I was threatened never to mention what happened to anyone and that I would be dealt with if I did.”
The state Commissioner for Police, Friday Eboka, confirmed the arrest of the policemen, adding that the allegations against them were being investigated.
“Those people accused have been arrested and investigation is on to ascertain the truth,” Eboka stated.
A lawyer with the rights group, Charles Obiorah, lauded the CP for his prompt action on the case.
He urged the police to ensure a thorough investigation into the matter, adding that any officer found culpable should be arraigned to serve as a deterrent to others.
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