The Lagos State Police Command has commenced an investigation into an alleged extortion involving a dispatch rider who accused police officers attached to the Makinde Divisional Headquarters of collecting ₦20,000 from him.
The development followed the circulation of a video on social media showing the alleged incident, the command disclosed in a statement on Monday.
In the video, the officers were seen stopping the dispatch rider and removing the key from his motorcycle. The rider, who reportedly had a hidden camera, alleged that the officers demanded and collected ₦20,000 from him.
The identity of the rider was not disclosed.
Confirming that it was aware of the video, the police command said it had commenced an investigation to establish what transpired.
“The Lagos State Police Command is aware of the video and has commenced an investigation into the incident,” the statement said.
The command added that the officers allegedly involved had reported at its headquarters and were being interviewed as part of the investigation.
“In line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, psc, mnips, the officers involved have reported at the Command Headquarters and are currently being interviewed as part of the ongoing investigation,” it added.
The police did not independently confirm the alleged ₦20,000 payment or disclose details of the transaction.
The command assured members of the public that appropriate action would be taken if the investigation establishes that any of the officers were culpable.
“The Command assures the public that the investigation is ongoing and appropriate action will be taken based on its findings,” the statement added.
As of Monday, the command had not disclosed whether the officers had been arrested or subjected to any disciplinary measures.
The latest allegation comes weeks after a Lagos resident, Nasir Ahmed, reportedly accused three policemen of extortion after they stopped his vehicle on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and allegedly accused him of driving against traffic.
Ahmed reportedly told PUNCH Online that he had to seek financial assistance from friends during the incident.
The two cases have again drawn attention to allegations of police extortion in Lagos, although the claims remain subject to investigation by the authorities.