Residents of Owerri, the Imo State capital, are enraged as policemen allegedly invaded one of the hostels of the Imo State University, brutalising and extorting money from students.

The PUNCH reports that at least 21 students living at Olive hostel in Owerri were arrested on Thursday night after power-drunk cops invaded their hostel, vandalized doors of over 15 rooms, threw teargas canisters, and brutalized them.

Confirming the incident on Friday, a few of the students who were still at the scene of the incident said that some of the arrested students were made to pay N60,000, N30,000 and N20, 000 before they were allowed to go from the police station on Thursday night and Friday morning, respectively.

Investigation revealed that at least four students who had not been able to raise money to bail themselves were still being held by the policemen.

One of the students who identified himself simply as, Murphy, said, “Two occupants of one of the rooms in the hostel were having issues and one of them left and invited his police boyfriend.

“After one hour, policemen in three jeeps stormed the hostel and started beating everybody. They used planks on us, including the female students. They broke into rooms and destroyed properties, including doors of no less than 15 rooms. They also took money and phones and arrested no less than 21 students.

“Some came home after paying N60,000, N30,000 and N20,000, respectively. Some of the brutalized students are receiving treatment in undisclosed hospitals. As we speak, some are still in police custody because they don’t have money to bail themselves.

“The irony of the matter is that the girl who called her police boyfriend is squatting with the girl she fought. She came on an Industrial Training from a university outside the state.”

When contacted, the IMSU spokesperson, Ralph Obinjoku, said that the Chief security officer of the university and Dean of students affairs had swung into action.

The police spokesperson for the command, Micheal Abattam, said that the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Hussaini, had ordered holistic investigation into the incident.