A student from Ekiti State University (EKSU) has accused Nigerian Police officers of extorting N150,000 from him and his friends after allegedly targeting them for having cryptocurrency-related apps on their phones.
The incident occurred just weeks after Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun issued a directive banning arbitrary arrests, harassment of youths, and phone searches by police officers across the country.
The student, who has opted to remain anonymous, recounted the ordeal in a social media post.
According to his account, he and his friends were stopped at multiple checkpoints by armed officers while traveling through Ojota, Lagos.
One officer allegedly demanded N200,000 after spotting cryptocurrency apps on his phone, claiming they were illegal in Nigeria.
The student shared: “I am a student at Ekiti State University, living in Lagos. At exactly 11:23 AM today, my friend and I were assaulted by Nigerian police at Ojota. We had ordered an InDrive from Alakuko to Ebutte, Ikorodu. After being stopped by a group of armed police, I complied when they asked to search my phone. They checked my school portal and found no issues. However, shortly after passing them, we were stopped by another set of officers. They questioned us about our professions and suspected fraudulent activity.”
After being questioned, the officers allegedly found trading apps and cryptocurrency groups in his WhatsApp and accused him of illegal activities.
They then forced him and his friend into a vehicle, where he was allegedly assaulted and pressured to pay a N200,000 fine to avoid being taken to the station.
The student, fearing further violence, pleaded with the officers, stating that he could not afford such a sum.
They subsequently took him to a POS merchant and coerced him into transferring N150,000, money originally meant for his school fees.
The student claimed to have a receipt and the POS account number as evidence of the transaction.
In response to the post, Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi ordered an investigation into the matter, calling for the identification of the officers involved.
He stated, “SP Benjamin Hundeyin, take up this case and urgently identify the officers involved. Searching people’s phones on the street is against the law, and such actions have been condemned by the Force. We need to act on complaints like this.”
He further urged individuals affected by such incidents to reach out to the police helplines for assistance.
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