A Twitter user, @FP_Olawale, has accused some men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Ibadan of extorting N10,500 from him.
He said he was forced to transfer N10,500 to one of the SARS men, Ogunkanmi Sunday Isaiah, after the men found a Google app, Hangout, on his phone.
He made this known on Wednesday, June 13 while lodging a complaint to the Police Complaints Rapid Response Squad (PCRRU) headed by ACP Abayomi Shogunle.
The PCRRU and its commander maintain a very active Twitter presence.
According to the complainant, the incident happened in the morning of June 12 as he was headed for work.
He said, “I was arrested in Ibadan yesterday (June 12) on my way to work because police officers found an in built app (Hangout) on my phone.
“I refused to pay until your officers threatened to lock me up. I eventually paid N10,500!
“They didn’t allow me to call anyone and I was ready to battle it out with them until I was taken to one of their wretched stations where they were gonna lock me up with some dreadful looking guys! I feared for my health and safety and just had to pay them!
“I was smiling all through this duel, even soliciting on behalf of others. Until they popped up with: ‘Alaye wetin you dey use hangout do?’
“I was surprised because this app has been there for ages and I don’t use it.
“At last they told me to pay N100,000. I bursted into laughter because I thought it was all a joke until I got to station and they asked me to pay 10k last price, for goods I didn’t buy!
“I paid and left. I don’t want to be exposed to danger from these guys in case this escalates and is taken up.
“I just want y’all to know they are extorting people for real!
“I want everyone to please note that this guy (Ogunkanmi) was not alone; he had a few other guys with him too. They were all extorting money from guys that fateful morning but he was just unfortunate to drop his account details. I hope they are all dealt with!”
He said he went back home after the incident instead of heading to work as he was already late.
“Trust me I just went back home because I was late for work and I was disconcerted!” he said.
He said he had dressed in casuals on the day of the incident, which must have made the SARS men mistake him for an internet fraudster.
Explaining his decision to dress casually, he said, “It was a public holiday; we were not going to open to customers, just some in-house activities, and I decided to turn up to work in a ripped jean and sweat shirt. Little did I know I’d pay 10.5k just for looking good.
“Do they want us to dress in Ankara and slippers now? I’m just fed up!”
Further explaining why he paid the money demanded, he said, “Those guys look like they would harm anyone. They were dreadful and desperate.
“I pass that same route to work everyday and I don’t want to put myself in jeopardy.
” Please, I just want y’all to see these guys are everything people say they are!”
Responding, the PCRRU vowed to take up the case and pursue it to a logical conclusion.
The unit said:
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