.jpg)
Crime/Social Justice
Edo activists escalates fight against police extortion, storms force headquarters amid wave of complaints
Written By: Abdullahi Izuagbe
19 Sep 2025 06:21 AM
Benin, Edo – In a bold move underscoring the relentless battle against police misconduct in Nigeria's heartland, the Bail Is Free Campaign Organisation has lodged a scathing petition with top authorities, spotlighting what it calls a "hellish" regime of extortion, brutality, and unlawful detentions plaguing Edo State.
Led by Coordinator General, Comrade Oni Edigin and Secretary General Leftist Dickson John Esq, the group appeared in person at the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit at Force Headquarters on September 16, 2025, to formally adopt and track their submission.
The petition, copied to the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Senate Committee on Police Welfare, accuses officers across the state of flagrant violations of the Police Act 2020, including Sections 1, 2, 4, 5, 31, and 32, which mandate respect for human dignity and prohibit arbitrary actions.
The document, sighted by this online newspaper paints a grim picture of Edo's policing landscape, where poor citizens allegedly endure "dehumanization, fraudulent extortion, arbitration, unlawful and prolonged detention, abuse of power, and unprofessional conduct."
Activists claim repeated complaints to the Edo State Commissioner of Police (COMPOL) – via official WhatsApp, petitions, and verbal reports – have fallen on deaf ears, often met with threats or inaction.
"This necessitated redirecting our complaints to the Complaint Unit at Force Headquarters, which has been yielding results," the group stated.
A stark example cited involves a suspect allegedly extorted of ₦515,000 and a ₦400,000 Android wristwatch by the 2nd-in-Command (2ic) of the X-Squad, a tactical unit. Instead of enforcing Sections 2(d), 2(h), and 5 of the Police Act – which bar extortion and demand accountability – the COMPOL reportedly forced a choice: forfeit the money or face joint prosecution with the suspect.
"Since then, tactical teams operate with unchecked powers, turning Edo into hell for the poor and heaven for rich culprits who buy their way out," the petition reads.
Further, a parallel complaint to the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone 5 was rebuffed by the AIG's personal assistant, who declared the COMPOL "untouchable and above the law."
The group also named several Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) for detaining suspects over civil matters or breaches of contract – up to five days – in violation of constitutional rights and police guidelines on human dignity and fundamental freedoms. Evidence, including names and documentation, was submitted for investigation.
The activists' visit to Abuja marked a turning point, as an Investigating Police Officer assured them that "complaints and evidence will not be treated with kid gloves," emphasizing the IGP's "zero tolerance for unprofessionalism", assuring them that signal has been dispatched to all named officers, summoning them to Force Headquarters for statements ahead of the final probe.
"Our experience at Force Headquarters restored our faith in the IGP for a better policing system in Edo State," Edigin and John declared. They pledged to monitor proceedings and stand ready to defend their claims.
This assurance comes amid broader scrutiny of Edo's police under new Commissioner Monday Agbonika, appointed by the PSC in April 2025 to curb reprisals following the Uromi lynching and rising killings.
Yet, recent incidents paint a persistent picture of abuse: In August 2025, Edo Police dismantled a syndicate led by Inspector Ojo Oloruntobi, who abducted and extorted residents, including a viral case of a victim robbed after a forced phone search.
Earlier, in September, the command retrieved ₦300,000 extorted from a furniture maker accused of being a "Yahoo boy," with disciplinary action underway.
A spy police officer even alleged his own colleagues extorted ₦200,000 from him en route to a phone repair, forcing an unlock and payment despite finding nothing.
Edo State, long a hotspot for insecurity from kidnappings to cult clashes, has seen a surge in extortion complaints, echoing the #EndSARS era's demands for reform.
These cases, activists argue, reflect a culture where "the rich commit crimes and pay their way out," while the vulnerable suffer.
Defenders of the force, like Edo PPRO CSP Moses Yamu, highlight arrests and recoveries as proof of reform efforts. Yet, the activists believed state commands are compromised, that the petitions to the police headquarters in Abuja could catalyze wider scrutiny or fizzle like past cries if unheeded.
Led by Coordinator General, Comrade Oni Edigin and Secretary General Leftist Dickson John Esq, the group appeared in person at the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit at Force Headquarters on September 16, 2025, to formally adopt and track their submission.
The petition, copied to the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Senate Committee on Police Welfare, accuses officers across the state of flagrant violations of the Police Act 2020, including Sections 1, 2, 4, 5, 31, and 32, which mandate respect for human dignity and prohibit arbitrary actions.
The document, sighted by this online newspaper paints a grim picture of Edo's policing landscape, where poor citizens allegedly endure "dehumanization, fraudulent extortion, arbitration, unlawful and prolonged detention, abuse of power, and unprofessional conduct."
Activists claim repeated complaints to the Edo State Commissioner of Police (COMPOL) – via official WhatsApp, petitions, and verbal reports – have fallen on deaf ears, often met with threats or inaction.
"This necessitated redirecting our complaints to the Complaint Unit at Force Headquarters, which has been yielding results," the group stated.
A stark example cited involves a suspect allegedly extorted of ₦515,000 and a ₦400,000 Android wristwatch by the 2nd-in-Command (2ic) of the X-Squad, a tactical unit. Instead of enforcing Sections 2(d), 2(h), and 5 of the Police Act – which bar extortion and demand accountability – the COMPOL reportedly forced a choice: forfeit the money or face joint prosecution with the suspect.
"Since then, tactical teams operate with unchecked powers, turning Edo into hell for the poor and heaven for rich culprits who buy their way out," the petition reads.
Further, a parallel complaint to the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone 5 was rebuffed by the AIG's personal assistant, who declared the COMPOL "untouchable and above the law."
The group also named several Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) for detaining suspects over civil matters or breaches of contract – up to five days – in violation of constitutional rights and police guidelines on human dignity and fundamental freedoms. Evidence, including names and documentation, was submitted for investigation.
The activists' visit to Abuja marked a turning point, as an Investigating Police Officer assured them that "complaints and evidence will not be treated with kid gloves," emphasizing the IGP's "zero tolerance for unprofessionalism", assuring them that signal has been dispatched to all named officers, summoning them to Force Headquarters for statements ahead of the final probe.
"Our experience at Force Headquarters restored our faith in the IGP for a better policing system in Edo State," Edigin and John declared. They pledged to monitor proceedings and stand ready to defend their claims.
This assurance comes amid broader scrutiny of Edo's police under new Commissioner Monday Agbonika, appointed by the PSC in April 2025 to curb reprisals following the Uromi lynching and rising killings.
Yet, recent incidents paint a persistent picture of abuse: In August 2025, Edo Police dismantled a syndicate led by Inspector Ojo Oloruntobi, who abducted and extorted residents, including a viral case of a victim robbed after a forced phone search.
Earlier, in September, the command retrieved ₦300,000 extorted from a furniture maker accused of being a "Yahoo boy," with disciplinary action underway.
A spy police officer even alleged his own colleagues extorted ₦200,000 from him en route to a phone repair, forcing an unlock and payment despite finding nothing.
Edo State, long a hotspot for insecurity from kidnappings to cult clashes, has seen a surge in extortion complaints, echoing the #EndSARS era's demands for reform.
These cases, activists argue, reflect a culture where "the rich commit crimes and pay their way out," while the vulnerable suffer.
Defenders of the force, like Edo PPRO CSP Moses Yamu, highlight arrests and recoveries as proof of reform efforts. Yet, the activists believed state commands are compromised, that the petitions to the police headquarters in Abuja could catalyze wider scrutiny or fizzle like past cries if unheeded.
Comments
Leftist Dickson John Esq
Nice reportage , indeed we will never rest until the last man is truly and totally free .
19 Sep 2025 09:23 AM