The Nigerian Police have returned N3 million to Kelechi Isaac, a man who was allegedly extorted by five police officers at gunpoint on 26 August 2024, in Odi, Bayelsa State.
Mr. Isaac, who lives in Ghana and hails from Nguru Nworie in Imo State, Nigeria, said the officers stopped his car while he was returning from a wedding with two friends. ]The police then forced him to transfer N3 million into two separate bank accounts.
“The policemen involved in this case of extortion of N3 million have been arrested,” confirmed police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, who is an Assistant Commissioner of Police. The officers were attached to the Zone 16 headquarters in Bayelsa State.
On 5 September, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 16, Paul Omata, informed Mr. Isaac that the money had been recovered from the officers.
However, there was a delay in returning the money to Mr. Isaac due to a disagreement over the collection point.
Mr. Isaac was concerned about his safety in Bayelsa and did not want to go there to collect the money.
Mr. Isaac confirmed that he finally received the money. “They have given me the money today. (I am) just coming in from Bayelsa now,” he told PREMIUM TIMES.
Although the police handed him the money in cash, Mr. Isaac insisted on using a Point of Sale (POS) agent to transfer the amount to his bank account. “They did (the handover in cash), but after the handover I refused to touch the cash, insisting they get a POS agent to take the cash and transfer it to me, which they did,” he explained.
