An investigate journalist, LadyEumukoro LightRay has called on the Delta State Police Command to put a stop to the extortion, brutality and other forms of human rights abuses being perpetuated by some officers of the Command.
She made the call following a recent reported case of extortion of money to the tune ₦500,000 from two undergraduates, by some Police officers around Sapele/Warri Road. In a post made on her Facebook page, she wrote:
“It seems Police extortion and brutality have officially returned to Delta State. This is a matter we must address immediately. It should not be left for civil rights activists alone. It is a matter of public interest.
Just this morning (Saturday), two students of the Delta State university Abraka, on their way from Sapele to fix their phone and laptop computer, they were accosted by Police officers along the Sapele Warri express road. The Police officers said since they’re not with receipt of the laptop they’ve committed a crime.
They instilled fear into these two young men and took them into town. At the Effurun axis, one of the Police officers, after checking the boys’ phones and the content of their account called an account number off heart to the boy directing that he should transfer five hundred thousand into it,” she narrated.
According to her, the Police officers were nowhere to be found, after they had obtained the said amount from the students. She also noted that efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Bright Golden Edafe over the incident, proved abortive.
She therefore called on the Force in the state to fish out the extortioners and make them refund the students, as well as rise against such ugly trend in order to redeem its image and forestall possible public outburst.
LightRay wrote: “The Nigeria Police Force, Delta State Delta State Command should rise up to the challenges and curb its men of extortionate character and abuse of uniform.
Nigeria is too fragile for a replica of endsars protest at this moment.
I want to believe that the Delta State Police Command has a proper documentation of all its men drafted to that axis of the road today (Saturday), to enable a safe return of the five hundred thousand naira of this young boy with interest and public apology. I’m highly optimistic that the righ thing shall be done.
While calling for proper investigation into the matter by the Police, she assured that concerned citizens shall continue to lend their voices to the course of making our society a better place to live in.
