Policeman extorting while armed is armed robbery—Kwara Police Commissioner

Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, has advised policemen in the state against extortion, saying an armed policeman extorting members of the public is armed robbery.

He threatened to dismiss any personnel caught in the act, warning against “roadside investigation” of members of the public and checking of their phones, to avoid the wrath of the law.

Egbetokun spoke yesterday in Ilorin at a briefing, noting “my attention has however been drawn to media reports about police extortion on our highways. Some policemen on patrol, not all, have been reported to be stopping young men on the road and searching their phones on suspicion that they are internet fraudsters known as Yahoo yahoo.

“In some cases, the young men, mostly university undergraduates, are made to part with as little as  N2000 for their release or release of their phones.

“While the Police have the responsibility to conduct stop-and-search and can indeed stop any person or search any personal belonging on reasonable suspicion of being connected to or being a subject of crime, it is unethical to seize and start searching anybody’s mobile phone on the road.”