The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) headquarters in Abuja has arrested policemen who arrested and detained Francis Alagbe, a photographer, in Lagos State and extorted N30,000 from him on December 20.
Muyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), told FIJ via a phone call on Sunday that he invited the policemen to Abuja from the NRC Police Station in Kajola, Lagos.
“They are in our custody now,” Adejobi told FIJ. “I was surprised to see that video of a PoS vendor in the station. I hear these things but never saw it happen like this. The policemen are giving excuses but the video is clear, we will sanction them.”
FIJ asked when their orderly room trial would commence, but the PPRO said he was away in Enugu State and would follow up when he returned to Abuja.
READ MORE: After FIJ’s Story, ACP Refunds N30,000 to Photographers Extorted by the Police
On December 20, FIJ informed the Police Complaints Response Unit (CRU) of the extortion case, and they promised to investigate the matter.
A day later, Alagbe and his friend returned to the station to recover the money but an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) who refused to disclose her name threatened to detain them for exposing the extortion.
FIJ called Adejobi at the time, and he said the police were reacting that way because he had already pledged to probe the station.
After holding them for a while, the ACP handed over the N30,000 in cash to both men and appealed to them to let go of the matter.
On that day, the PoS vendor and policemen who arrested Alagbe a day earlier were absent. The police had also removed a signpost from their station.
FIJ has reported several cases involving policemen using vendors to fleece innocent Nigerians.
The post After FIJ’s Story, NPF Arrests Lagos Policemen Who Extorted N30,000 From Photographer appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.