For residents and commuters in parts of Ikorodu, Lagos, encounters with some police officers have allegedly become a source of fear, with victims recounting how they were stopped, forced to surrender their phones and, in some cases, compelled to transfer money before being allowed to go.

Among those who have spoken about their experiences are Adekekan Joseph Adeshina and Ayomide Shokunbi, who separately alleged that police officers stopped them at night, searched their phones and accessed their bank accounts before demanding money.

Their accounts come despite directives by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, against unlawful searches, extortion and other forms of police misconduct.

Shokunbi, a studio manager, said his ordeal began on August 3, 2026, when he was driving out of the Ikorodu area.

According to him, he was stopped at Adamo, before Oko Filling Station, at about 8:00 p.m. and ordered to open his car boot. After the officers found nothing, he alleged that they forced him into the vehicle while one of them took over the steering wheel.

Shokunbi said the officers subsequently demanded his phone. When he questioned why they wanted it, he alleged that one of them slapped him.

“After that, I was asked to unlock my phone. They checked my bank app and saw the money in my account. Immediately, I was asked to make transactions to their account, or else I would be driven to Ikeja,” he said.

He said the officers later bought N3,000 worth of fuel after the vehicle stopped, but the car failed to start because of its security system.

Shokunbi alleged that the officers prevented him from answering calls from his mother and also assaulted him when he asked to buy food.

“They started negotiating with me. I was told to call my family members to send money. My brother sent money, and they took me to a PoS operator. I had to part with N59,000, and they left me,” he said.

He said the money was transferred to an account (6100942850) bearing the name Joseph Ginika Anekwe.

Adeshina said his own ordeal began when he left home to buy provisions for his mother at Ikorodu Garage.

To beat traffic, he and another passenger boarded a motorcycle. But shortly after passing the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) gate, they encountered police officers.

“They stopped the bike, and I thought it was the usual interrogation, but they asked for our phones. I declined and protested that they couldn’t search my phone,” he said.

Adeshina alleged that one of the officers slapped him during the argument before handcuffing him. He said there were five officers at the scene and that he eventually surrendered his phone out of fear.

According to him, the officers later took him and other people they had stopped to Sabo.

He alleged that the officers checked the bank accounts of some of those arrested and demanded money from them, directing them to make transfers to accounts provided by PoS operators.

Adeshina said he was kept in handcuffs while the officers negotiated with others.

He alleged that an officer later accessed his OPay account and saw that he had N63,000. The officer then used the calculator application on his phone to enter N200,000 as the amount he was expected to pay.

“I asked where he expected me to get such an amount as a student, and he told me to call my friends and family members,” he said.

Adeshina said he offered to pay N20,000, but the officers rejected the offer and continued to abuse him.

He alleged that one of the officers eventually obtained an account number from a PoS operator, entered N61,000 as the amount and ordered him to authorise the transfer.

“I told him that the amount was too much, and he attempted to slap me again, but I dodged. Then he asked for the PIN, inputted it, made the transfer and then let me leave,” he said.

The money, according to Adeshina, was transferred to a Moniepoint account (5262409663) bearing the name Azeezat Yetunde Ajalogun.

Adeshina’s mother, Mrs Alarape Adesina, said her son had since returned to school. “My husband asked us to leave everything to God. They didn’t see him with anything incriminating, but they still decided to assault him and steal money. God will judge them,” she said.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, urged residents to report such incidents to the command.

“People should always report to us. We can only work with information,” she said. (The Guardian)