A Lagos RRS officer was caught extorting motorists on the Berger-Mowe Road, continuing a pattern of police corruption drivers report across the state.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] Lagos police officer was caught on camera extorting motorists on the Berger-Arepo-Mowe stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, continuing a pattern of police corruption reported by drivers in multiple areas of the state.
A police officer attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command was caught on camera extorting motorists along the Berger-Arepo-Mowe stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Thursday, despite previous complaints from drivers about widespread daily extortion by police officers in the area.
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Freelanews correspondent monitoring the situation observed the officer collecting N200 from three motorists, before using the money to purchase a drink and sausage from a nearby vendor.
This follows reports from September 19, when drivers in Lagos areas such as Iyana-Ipaja, Ikotun, and Berger revealed that police officers were using local louts, known as “agberos,” to demand money from them on behalf of the police, calling it “owo olopa” or “security money.”
Several drivers confirmed that such extortion by the RRS has become a routine, with one saying, “As a driver, you must pay ‘owo olopa.’
They are not ashamed to collect it, and I don’t think they will stop.” Another driver, known simply as Driver, admitted that the drivers had accepted the extortion as an unofficial tax, adjusting their fares accordingly.
Efforts to get a response from Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, were unsuccessful as of the time of this report.
Similar incidents of police and military personnel extorting transport workers have been previously reported in Lagos, raising concerns about law enforcement corruption across the state.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
