Frustration and extortion by female police officer

A Lagos resident, Franklyn Onyene, on Thursday lamented an ordeal he faced in the hands of a female police officer he identified as Lilian Akpore, under the bridge at Apapa.

Mr. Onyene said that while he was driving towards Costain at about 9:20am on Thursday, the police officer suspected he believes is a sergeant, with her colleagues, stopped him in what appeared to be a ‘stop and search’ but was suprised when the police officer started demanding for N10, 000 from him.

He narrates his ordeal:

I was stopped by a female police officer under Apapa bridge towards Costain, I immediately obeyed thinking it was a ‘stop and search’ routine by the police but was surprised when she asked for my driver’s licence which I told her was still under process but showed her a coloured copy of my Vehicle Inspection Office vetted form (signed and stamped).

It was so obvious that the woman was not familiar with the processes and need for obtaining a driver’s licence even when I explained to her that I have passed all the test requirements as I showed her my original expired licence she insisted on taking me to the station.

I also explained that the original has to be submitted to Federal Road Safety Corps and the delay was because the machine at FRSC, Sura office has been spoilt for some months now.

She then asked for my car papers which I showed her, when she realised that she didn’t have anything to hold me down, she then capitalised on the driver’s licence and said she was going to take me to the station and fustrate me aince I wanted to speak English and teach her driver’s licence.

I drove to Iponri police station, she asked that I park oustide whike she demanded N10, 000 from me or have my tire deflated and my car towed away. I told her I didnt have any money on me, when she insisted I use the ATM I showed her the last SMS I received proving I had no money in my account. I told her I had just N3, 000 on me, doubting she asked me to open my wallet pondering why I would be driving such a big car without having money on me.

She promised to fustrate me by charging me to court. When she realized I was running late to work, she was bent on making things difficult for me, I gave her N2, 500 out of the N3, 000 I had on me. She collected the money and I had just N500 left for the whole day. I wept like baby because I actually borrowed that money and was hoping to use it for lunch and then pay back once I get paid.”

Mr.Onyene appealed that a trap be set by the Inspector General of Police or those in authority for officers at this spot to bring them to book and curb activities and misconduct of these officers dragging the police to the mud.

CR Franklyn O.