By Felix Oboagwina
“Daddy, do you know that on their way back to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, members of my business team who attended my wedding had a horrible encounter with police officers stationed along Airport Road?”
Really? What happened? I saw them at the reception—there were many of them, all dressed in white.
“Yes, they did. Two of them took an Uber from the reception at Alimosho to catch their evening flight back to Abuja. On the way, they were stopped by policemen who insisted on searching them.”
Did the officers find anything incriminating?
“Nothing at all! Daddy, you saw them—none of them even had dreadlocks or any look that could attract profiling. They are decent, hardworking professionals. But the moment these policemen saw they were using iPhones, they got excited. They seized their phones, checked their bank balances, and forced them to transfer money.”
No way! No police officer has the right to search anyone’s phone. The Police Public Relations Officers repeatedly say this on social media. Even the Commissioners of Police emphasize it.
“Well, these on Airport Road didn’t care! They delayed my friends and threatened to make them miss their flight if they refused to cooperate. At first, they demanded ₦200,000 per person, but after some negotiation, they settled for ₦100,000 each.”
What? ₦100,000—for what exactly?
“My friends initially refused to pay. But the officers ordered the Uber driver to park and told them, ‘Keep speaking English instead of cooperating.’ When they saw time was running out and they could miss their flight, they had no choice but to transfer the money. And do you know the worst part?”
What?
“Despite paying, they still missed their flight. By the time the Uber got them to the airport, the plane was already taxiing for takeoff. They had to sleep at the airport until the next day.”
Eeyah! What a pity. Nigerian police can be wicked.
“When they called to tell me what happened, they said this could never have happened in another state. They now detest coming to Lagos because of such harassment.”
This is very sad. And to think that this kind of criminal exploitation triggered the #EndSARS protests in 2020, which led to the disbandment of SARS by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Our police never learn.”
I know that airport axis well. Just the other day, Omoyele Sowore, Publisher of SaharaReporters, posted on Twitter about how he defied this same police team. He was in a cab when they tried to stop him, but he told the driver not to budge. They insulted him but eventually let him go.
“That’s the best way to deal with these rogue officers. They target people heading to the airport, assuming they are loaded with money. And since travelers are in a hurry, they are more likely to pay just to avoid missing their flight.”
Which police stations even cover that area? Mafoluku Oshodi, Aswani Isolo, or Airport Division? The DPOs there must be held accountable. Even the Lagos State Commissioner of Police cannot claim ignorance of this criminality. These officers spread themselves along the service lane, stopping vehicles—not to check papers, but solely to extort wayfarers.
“It’s shameful. Do you know that to avoid this stress, I know someone who moves around with a police escort in his car every single day?”
That must cost a fortune! How much does he pay for an armed escort?
“I haven’t asked, but it can’t be less than ₦20,000 per day.”
That’s a serious expense! Meaning if he uses an escort for the whole month, he’s paying between ₦400,000 and ₦600,000.
“Something like that. But he feels safer—no harassment at all. As a young IT engineer driving a nice car, with a laptop and an iPhone, he fits the exact profile these corrupt officers target.”
We must keep speaking out and pushing for action until the authorities are forced to remove these rogue cops from Airport Road. They have no business being there—none whatsoever, especially since they are using it as a tool for extortion. But your associates impressed me. Do you mean they came from Abuja just for your wedding?
“Yes, o! They did, and I was truly touched. I was surprised to see so many of them at the reception.”
They showed you love. See how they were spraying you with money. I hope they ate well.
“Of course! I made sure they were well taken care of. I told K to handle everything, and she did an excellent job. They all sat together, and their food and drinks were served separately. I could see from the platform that my instructions were followed perfectly.”
And to think that after such a beautiful celebration, some corrupt policemen had to ruin the moment. It’s disgraceful.
OBOAGWINA IS AN AUTHOR, JOURNALIST, AND PUBLISHER. HE CAN BE REACHED AT foboagwina@gmail.com
