Police arrest three officers for N150,000 extortion in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested three officers accused of extorting N150,000 from travellers along the Ikeja-Berger Road.

The arrest follows a viral post by one of the victims, Ramadan Adenola, who detailed the incident on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.

Adenola recounted how he and his coworker, identified as @GbReigns, were stopped by armed policemen while travelling in a Bolt ride from their hotel in Ikeja to Berger.

According to Adenola, the officers searched but found nothing incriminating.

However, instead of letting them go, the officers forced them into the vehicle and took them to Isheri Police Station.

“At the station, one officer seemed particularly interested in my phone,” Adenola wrote.

“Still, he wasn’t satisfied after I explained my work and @GbReigns’ business in Lagos. Then his eyes fell on what he called ‘incriminating evidence’—my Binance app,” he added.

The officers allegedly led them to an unfinished building behind the station, where they demanded N2m for their release, he claimed.

“Excuse me, sir, how much is my salary? How much is your own salary?” Adenola recalled questioning the demand.

After negotiations, the officers settled for N150,000, which they allegedly forced Adenola to withdraw and hand over before they were released.

Following the viral post on Sunday, the Lagos State Police Command initially announced an investigation into the matter.

Later, the command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest of the officers in a post on Monday morning.

“The three police officers, attached to the Isheri Division, have been identified and taken into custody by their DPO,” Hundeyin stated.

“The money too has been recovered, while the DPO is still making efforts to reach the complainant.”

He further disclosed that Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, had ordered that the officers be transferred to the Provost office at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja, for disciplinary action.

In February, PUNCH Metro reported a similar incident in which three police officers from the Area F Command of the Lagos State Police were arrested for extorting a Chinese expatriate along the Sheraton-Opebi Link Road.