The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ‘extortion

  • DJ accuses SARS operatives of ‘harassment, extortion’

    DJ accuses SARS operatives of ‘harassment, extortion’

    A Disc Jockey (DJ), Chidozie Onyemaoke (DJ Drex)n has appealed to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP) Fatai Owoseni, to probe operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad 039 (FSARS), who unjustly arrested, assaulted and fleeced him of N50,000.

    DJ Drex, a worker at Havannah Hotel, Egbeda, said he was stopped last Thursday on his way out.

    According to him, a policeman accosted him and demanded to know why his hair is dreadlocked. He told the policeman he was a DJ and the cop demanded for his phone, which he obliged.

    He said: “I left the house to print a project from my hard drive when a policeman walked to me with a gun and asked for my phone. Seeing the gun and vest that is written FSARS 039, I handed over my phone to him, since I knew I had nothing to hide. But I asked what the matter was?

    “He pulled me by my hair and asked me what I do for a living and why I was on dreadlocks. I told him I was a DJ. He asked my name and I told him. The policeman held my phone for about 15 minutes, pressing it, neither telling me what he was looking for nor what crime I had committed. The next thing, he told me to follow him. I asked why and he said because I am a Yahoo boy.

    “I told him he was mistaken, that he should ask people around since it was my neighbourhood and I am a popular DJ in the area but he slapped me. When I resisted, he showed me a name, Jeff Drex, which has the picture of a Whiteman and he said I was the one. I told him I know nothing about that, that I was very busy with my shows and club projects and that he should give me my phone and let me go.

    “But he threatened to shoot me if I refused to follow him. People around came and told him I was a DJ and that I have been in the area for many years, but he said I was only using DJ as cover-up. He insisted I follow him to the vehicle.

    “I was handcuffed and the bus and drove off to Iyana Ipaja. I asked the policemen to allow me call my people but they refused. They said I have no right to call. When their colleague came out of the shop, he asked for N200,000 so they could release me. But I told them I didn’t have any money.

    “When I realised they were ready to keep me all day or even kill me, unless I gave them money, I went to an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and withdrew N50,000 for them before I was allowed to go.

    “I appeal to the CP because I know he has been warning against corruption. He should investigate the FSARS 039 team that came to Egbeda on Thursday. They are criminals and oppressors. Are policemen not supposed to protect us? All I want is justice.”

    Police spokesman Olarinde Famous-Cole urged the victim to make an official report at the police division where he was picked up.

    He said: “The command frowns at any form of extortion and indiscipline. But we may not be able to catch those behind it if the victim does not make an official report.

    “He should please come forward and report so that we can take it up from there. He should make a report at the place he was picked up. The division will know which patrol team worked in the area that day.”

  • Extortion is killing the police

    Extortion is killing the police

    It is rather sad that Nigerians consider some vices to be great, while classifying some others as minor. Whereas it is these “minor vices” that are most despicable. Our society is one that witnesses misdemeanour daily so much so that we have got tired to say anything.

    This article is informed by a recent encounter with some corrupt policemen in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. I was riding on a motorcycle on a sunny day. The heat from the sun was unbearable and this prodded the driver to accelerate faster as he could. As we got closer to my destination, I noticed a police checkpoint, which caused slow vehicular movement.

    Since they were policemen, I had no qualms since they were doing their job. We moved slowly and patiently till it got to our turn for stop-and-search. But, I was wrong. After being ordered to come down from the bike, then a policeman asked for “my” money. I never responded, since I didn’t owe anyone any money.

    The motorcyclist then went on his knees and started to beg the policeman to allow him go, because he had just started working. Unconvinced by the motorcyclist’s plea, the policeman went for the key and removed it, telling the motorcyclist: “You are not serious…when you are ready, come and meet me over there.”

    The disgraceful act ended on the despicable note. The policeman released the bike after the motorcyclist bribed him. Bribery is not a new phenomenon in our society, but what got me surprised was the fact that the motorcyclist did not commit any offence. The policeman just felt the rifle he was holding was the ticket to extort motorists and force them to part with their hard-earned money. What a country!

    I was annoyed to say the least, and I wanted to challenge the policeman. But, something stopped me from doing so. The policeman received the bribe as though it was their right. I put myself in the motorcyclist’s shoes and I felt a sense of loss afterwards. Why should I drive around in a scorching sun in search of daily bread, then a policeman whose income is more than my monthly earning asks me to part with my hard-earned money? Don’t policemen get paid?

    This embarrassing act needs to stop. How do we expect our country to develop when the aim of its security agencies is to make money and not to think of how they can be better in keeping our communities safe? The Nigeria Police need to purge itself of bad eggs and retrain its personnel in accordance with modern policing mechanism.

    This is also a clarion call to all stakeholders in transport sector. It has been observed that commercial drivers are aiding and abetting bribery, because many of them don’t have up-to-date vehicle documents. Why would a driver not have the necessary documents to drive? Policemen who should arrest road offenders are collecting bribes. Do we still ask why there is insecurity in the land?

    If, in case, the current crop of policemen don’t understand their roles and responsibilities, the police authorities have duty to re-orientate them and let them face the duty of strengthening the nation’s internal security. When policemen derive joy in taking bribe, they have wittingly compromise the security of the nation and endangered the citizens.

  • Police boss cautions against use of arms, extortion

    Police boss cautions against use of arms, extortion

    The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Adeleye Oyebade, has cautioned his officers and men to guard their arms jealously and avoid misusing them.
    Oyebade, who spoke at Abayi Police Station, Aba, when the Tactical Response Squad (TRS) was launched, said guarding their arms jealously would prevent accidental discharge.
    According to him, the TRS was set up to tackle crime and criminality in Aba and other parts of the state. He warned that his administration will not tolerate any form of extortion by policemen.
    The police boss hinted that the state agreed to pay some of the personnel allowances, stressing that the command will ensure welfare of its personnel.
    The state would provide about 20 vehicles and walkie-talkies for patrol teams for effective communication and to increase response time to distress calls, Oyebade added.
    He called for synergy between the police and sister agencies and thanked the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, for agreeing to send more men and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) to the state.

  • 25 persons arrested for extortion, selling UTME registration materials

    25 persons arrested for extortion, selling UTME registration materials

    Twenty-five persons have been arrested across the country for illegally selling registration materials for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates.

    Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) RegistrarProf. Is-haq Oloyede said this at weekend.

    The culprits were apprehended by a combined team of JAMB’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Police, following a tip-off.

    Among the registration materials being sold by them included copies of the UTME e-Brochure and e-Syllabus.

    The agency said the e-Brochure and e-Syllabus, which were meant to be free, were being sold by the culprits as high as N800 each nationwide, while at the same time also extorting money and inflating cost of registration from candidates.

    Oloyede, in an interview with reporters in his office in Abuja, said the people that were caught are those “doing what they are not supposed to do”.

    He said: “Our quality assurance unit, particularly the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit had to go out to see what is happening, following reports of extortion. We were having reports that candidates are paying more than the N5,500 that is required. The perpetrators have been cautioned and are presently under surveillance.

    “For many of them that have been caught, I don’t think they will want to be caught for the second time in the future after serving the severe punishments awaiting them.

    “We keep on telling people that they are to pay just N5,500, which is N5,000 to JAMB and N500 for the book (e-Brochure and e-Syllabus) and that is all. But for the centre where they register, the owner of the centres will get a maximum of N700. We have arrested about 25 persons, all over the country. They are those who are doing what they are not supposed to do, by charging the candidates higher than expected. They will not escape justice, they will appear in court.”

    According to him, JAMB has not asked anybody to pay extra money or asked anybody to go to any business centre for the creation of profile.

    The JAMB registrar said the banks and Computer-Based Test centres had reached an agreement with JAMB that they would create the profile for the candidates.

    He said: “And whether you go to the banks, NIPOST or anywhere to buy the pin, it is part of their responsibility to create the profile for the candidates. Nobody is expected to pay more than what we have specified. But what we have found out is that many people are gullible. What we have done is that the ACTU had gone out and raided the centres. We found out that many of the centres are playing on the ignorance of the candidates. We have advertised in 10 national newspapers, yet they still allow themselves to be extorted.”

    Oloyede faulted claims by many of the candidates, who have the impression that it would be better for them to register only in JAMB-owned centres.

    “It is not true. Whether you register at the JAMB centres or in any accredited centres, there is no difference.

    “People are saying that there is poor connectivity. I don’t know what they mean by that. May be, they are using old terms. Many of the business centres, who want us to return to the old practice or those who are producing the scratch cards and want to continue extorting money from people are the ones echoing this noise and creating unnecessary problem for the candidates,” he said.

  • Driver accuses Ogun traffic agency’s officials of extortion

    A truck driver, Kehinde Okunola, has accused men of Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) of extortion.

    According to the driver, the incident happened on February 3, 2017, when men of the agency falsely accused him of parking his truck on the highway.

    Okunola, who said his vehicle, a white DAF truck with registration number SAN 93 XA, had broken down around Odogbolu axis of Lagos-Ijebu highway, said he was shocked that men of the agency insisted on impounding his vehicle, even when it was parked far from the road.

    He explained that apart from the necessary fines paid (over N150,000), he was also made to cough out the sum of N30, 000 before his vehicle was released from the custody of the agency.

    He added that it was after he paid the money that a note was issued for its release from police custody at Odogbolu Division, where it was parked.

    However, the spokesman of TRACE, Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi said Okunola’s allegations were untrue.

    He said: ‘’There is no iota of truth in the allegations. Our men at Ikenne zone impounded his truck for violating Ogun State traffic laws and he only paid the necessary fines imposed on traffic offenders of his category, our men did not extort money from him at all.’’

     

  • FUTO to investigate alleged extortion of students

    •Two lecturers fired for sexual harassment, fraud

    The Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) is investigating the alleged extortion of students through imposition of illegal levies by lecturers and heads of departments.

    The Vice Chancellor, Prof Francis Eze, who briefed reporters at the weekend after a protest by  students, said the management would  investigate the charges on registration of courses through the sale of scratchcards.

    He said the university does not charge any money for registration of courses.

    “We have gotten information about the sale of scratch cards for the registration of courses by some departments and we have ordered full investigation and anyone found culpable will be punished.”

    Eze added that the university sacked two lecturers for violating its rules.

    He said: “We dismissed one lecturer for sexually assaulting students. When we got the complaint, we set up a committee to investigate the allegations and it was established that the lecturer was guilty, he was summarily dismissed.

    “The other one was accused of collecting money from people seeking admission.

    “When we got the allegation, we carried out our investigation and when it was discovered that he actually committed the offence, he was dismissed as well.”

    The Vice-Chancellor, who did not name the sacked lecturers, maintained that the university would not tolerate any misconduct or breach of its rules.

    Condemning the students’ protest , which led to  vandalisation of school property and the looting of the ICT Centre,  Eze described it as the worst in the school’s history.

    He said: “I have been in this university for a very long time and we have had pockets of protests by students but nothing can be compared to the last incident.

    “We had hoodlums and enemies of the university invade the campus armed with weapons.”

  • Three held for alleged extortion, assault

    Three men have been arraigned before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stabbing three people with broken bottles during a fight over money.
    Adewale Olayanju, 23, Adeyemo Adebayo, 26, and Gbenga Ilesanmi, 26, all apprentices, live at Ogba in Ikeja area of Lagos.
    They are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, assault, breach of peace and stealing.
    The accused, according to the prosecutor, Inspector Clifford Ogu, committed the offences on February 1 at Orimolade on College Road, Ogba, at about 9 p.m.
    Ogu said the accused waylaid the complainants, Simeon Taiwo, Dotun Sagbe and Yusuf Teslim, on their way from work.
    “The accused blocked the road and was collecting money from people that wanted to pass.
    “The complainants refused to give them money and that led to a fight,” he told the court.
    During the fight, Ogu said the accused stabbed the complainants with broken bottles on their heads, faces and necks.
    He alleged that the accused also stole N35,000 and a phone from the complainants.
    The offence contravened Sections 166,171,285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
    The accused pleaded not guilty.
    Chief Magistrate Taiwo Akanni granted the accused N250,000 bail with two sureties each in the like sum.
    The case was adjourned to March 1.

  • Auchipoly sacks 13 lecturers for sexual harassment, extortion

    Authorities of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi in Edo State have sacked 13 lecturers and demoted 16 for sexual harassment  and extortion.

    Spokesman Mustapha Oshiobugie told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Auchi yesterday that the lecturers had been notified.

    He said: “Forty-one persons were involved in sexual harassment and extortion.

    “Five lecturers were dismissed, eight got their appointments terminated and 16 were demoted.

    “Four others were warned, two advised, two cautioned, one recommended for mentoring, while two students were denied further admission.

    “Painstaking investigations have been done by internal and independent panels constituted by the National Board for Technical Education and Ministry of Education.”

    Oshiobugie added that  Education Minister Adamu Adamu approved the  action,  based on the panels’ recommendations.

  • N-power applicants protest extortion by officials in Ebonyi

    Youths from the 13 Local Government Area of the Ebonyi state enlisted for the N-Power documentation exercise Monday protested alleged extortion from organizes of the programme which marred the exercise.

    It was gathered that the unemployed youths numbering over 200 who had besieged the venue of the documentation exercise as early as 7am had earlier yielded to the directive of the organizers to go to No 29 Gunning road Abakaliki and pay the sum of N500 to enable them be documented.

    However, trouble started when the organizes directed them at about 02; 30pm to go back to their different local government areas for further directive.

    The youths, angered by the directive to return back to their council areas after waiting several hours in the scorching sun trooped to the entrance gate leading to the Governor’s office and blocked the entrance.

    They insisted that either the Commissioner for Economic Empowerment and Job Creation, Hon Donatus Njoku or any other government functionary must address them before they would vacate the entrance.

    After several hours of waiting at the entrance gate of the Governor’s office without any government functionary addressing them, the youths had to troop back to No. 29 Gunning road where most of them had  paid the sum to retrieve the money they had already paid to the agents of the organizes of the documentation.

    Some of the youths who spoke to our reporter on grounds of anonymity expressed regret over the procedure and the slow pace of the exercise and wondered why the organizes would insist that they must pay the sum of N500 before they would be attended to.

    When The Nation visited the makeshift pay point at the heart of the Abakaliki Main Market, hundreds of the youths had besieged the office protesting the alleged extortion and called for the immediate arrest of the organizes.

    Meanwhile, there was a mild drama at the venue of the makeshift pay point when some unidentified hefty young men numbering about 5 drove to the place with a Hilux Van with registration number AKL 342 SB and immediately bundled a young man and a lady stationed at the point to be collecting the money and zoomed off.

    The youths who suspected connivance and attempt to whisk the suspects away to avoid arrest, immediately went after the vehicle but their chase was in vain.

    When our Correspondent visited the Cabinet Office to get the reaction of organizes of the documentation, it was observed that all the organizes had disappeared while the unemployed youths were seen in clusters discussing the unfortunate exercise.

    The State Commissioner for Economic Empowerment and Job Creation, Hon Donatus Njoku could not be reached for reaction as he was said to be in a State Executive Council meeting.

  • FG deploys mobile app to stem power theft, vandalism, extortion

    The federal government has reiterated its determination to stem vandalisation of national assets and infrastructures through all available legal means, including technology.

    The assurance followed the launch of an internet-based application for electricity consumers that allow users to send real time messages and video images for instant response from the Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC), Distribution Companies (Discos) and security agencies.

    The National Security and Crime Reporting App, known as Hawk Eye App was the result of a partnership between NERC, Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Huawei and Web Asset Ltd.

    According to Kayode Aladesuyi, Web Asset Ltd’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the application was structured for complaints, information, tip-off and rescue among other features.

    He said: “People stealing power through illegal tapping or stealing of electricity cables have caused greater problems for efficient and regular distribution of power nationwide. Stealing power is a great challenge, tapping power for free is detrimental to national development. Over 115 people died from live wire electrocution in 2015, which is regrettable because such incidents can be prevented if neighbours or witnesses have avenues to make reports for instant response from relevant authorities.”

    The representative of NERC, Abdul Mohammed, Deputy General Manager (Engineering Standards) said the application was not only to ensure the safety of electricity infrastructures nationwide but also to bring electricity consumers closer to the Discos and NERC.

    Harry Cui, who represented the technical partner, Huawei also guaranteed the success of the application saying that the country’s land mass and infrastructure challenges has made the usage of the application expedient.