There was tension in Boladale Street, Mafoluku, in the Oshodi area of Lagos State as residents sent operatives of the State Police Command away due to alleged extortion of road users in the area.
The residents lamented that the policemen forcefully take money from motorists accused of driving against traffic (one-way) in the community.
NIGERIACRIME gathered that this led to destruction of properties in the area, including a vehicle belonging to Akima Hotel owned by the Chairman of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Committee, Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo.
The policemen are reportedly from the Akinpelu Police Station.
The residents stated that the road that is presently causing a stir has no signage, thereby luring unsuspecting motorists into plying one-way.
According to residents, the officers, who stay at the other end of the road, arrest such motorists and extort money from them.
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Some drivers, who try to evade arrest by reversing their vehicles, however, usually crash into property.
A resident, Sodiq Olaoti, said the policemen waited in two mini-buses (Korope), from where they accosted and chased vehicles taking the route.
He said, “They park close to the other junction of Boladale Street, waiting to arrest people who drive into the road. Once they stop the vehicles, they threaten to take them to the police station. And once they are asked to drive towards the station, they negotiate midway and collect money from them.”
Another resident, Innocent Madaubuchi, said the policemen chased a vehicle on Monday, October 3.
He said, “The car drove into the road but when the driver saw them, he reversed and the police started chasing him. It was while driving on reverse down Boladale Street that he started crushing people’s cars, including a vehicle belonging to MC Oluomo’s hotel. Though he later escaped, residents were angry at the damage and they protested that the police should leave that location.”
Another resident, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the issue, said the cops caused a lot of damage.
He said, “This is not their first time of causing such damage. The fence of the Redeemed Christian Church of God on the road was destroyed by a car they once chased. The youth and the community development association in the area had warned them, but they kept doing it. Sometimes, they fought over whose turn it was to arrest motorists. But this last one they did was why residents asked them to leave and since then, we have not seen them.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, denied knowledge of the incident.