A student of the Federal Polytechnic Offa in Kwara State has allegedly been extorted of ₦200,000 by police officers while on his way home from school. The incident has sparked public outrage on social media, drawing attention to the growing concerns over police misconduct and abuse of power in Nigeria.
The disturbing event was made public by a user, @oyintom22, on X (formerly Twitter), who detailed how the student, identified as Taiwo Kayode Taye, was travelling from Offa to Osogbo when he was suddenly stopped by officers from the Anti-Cultism Unit stationed at Erin-Ile. What began as a routine stop quickly escalated into an alleged case of unlawful detention and financial extortion.
According to the post, when the officers demanded to search Taiwo’s phone, he exercised his right to privacy and refused. This refusal reportedly led to his immediate arrest. He was first taken to the Ijagbo Police Division at around 12 noon, where he was held without explanation or formal charge. He remained in detention for several hours without access to legal representation or communication with his family.
Later in the day, he was transferred to the State CID Anti-Cultism Department located at GRA, Ilorin. By this time, his detention had lasted well beyond five hours, further violating due process. Despite not being charged with any crime, the officers allegedly forced him to unlock his phone using Face ID, and then accessed his mobile banking app.
Under coercion, Taiwo was reportedly made to transfer a total sum of ₦200,000 to a personal bank account bearing the name Lucy Akor—an account believed to be linked to one of the officers or an accomplice. The disturbing part of the report is the absence of any legal procedure throughout the ordeal. No formal complaint was filed, and no criminal activity was established against the student.
The user’s post read in part: “Good day, @Princemoye1. Your rogue officers in Kwara State have struck again. Taiwo Kayode Taye, a student of Federal Polytechnic, Offa, was travelling to Osogbo yesterday when officers from the Anti-Cultism Unit stopped him at Erin-Ile.”
“They demanded to check his phone, which he refused. Consequently, they took him to Ijagbo Police Division around 12 PM, where he was detained until after 5 PM. Later, the officers moved him to the State CID Anti-Cultism Department at GRA, Ilorin.”
“Without any charges or a statement, they forced him to unlock his bank account using Face ID and coerced him into transferring ₦200,000 to an account belonging to Lucy Akor. What kind of country allows this? Please address this injustice.”
The post tagged both the Nigeria Police Force and its Complaint Response Unit (CRU), calling for swift action, transparency, and justice in addressing what many are calling a blatant act of police corruption and victimization of innocent citizens. It also renewed calls for proper oversight and reform within the nation’s law enforcement agencies to prevent such abuses in the future.
SEE POST:
