Admission seeker extorted by police gets refund after viral report

An admission seeker identified as Sodiq Oladebo, has been refunded the N20,000 extorted from him by officers attached to the Osun State Police Command.

CorrectNG reported on Monday, July 10 that he called out policemen for extorting him while he was traveling from Osun to Benin, Edo State.

Giving an update, Oladebo’s brother, Suleman confirmed to The Punch that the money has been returned in full.

“They have refunded it just now. My brother just called me. I commend the Nigeria Police, especially the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, and the Osun State Command’s PRO for their efforts,” Suleman revealed.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, earlier urged Oladebo to reach out, adding that she had been on the matter since she became aware.

She tweeted; “Since I heard about the extortion of the admission seeker by some policemen in Osun State, I have been working seriously on the matter and of course, I have made success. I want that victim to please call or chat with me.”

The incident happened on Saturday, along the Ilesa Expressway area of the state after police officers at a checkpoint stopped the Sienna vehicle which Oladebo and other passengers were travelling in.

The victim narrated how the officers, thereafter, searched their bags and found nothing incriminating but they still intimidated him and made him to give them N20k which was part of the money he was to use to purchase an Interim Joint Matriculation Board form to process his admission into a university.

Oladebo; “We left Old Garage Park in Osun State, and were going to Benin, Edo State. Our vehicle was stopped by the policemen. They checked the passenger at the front and later asked me to come down from the vehicle to identify my luggage.

“They searched and didn’t find anything incriminating. He took my phone from me, unlocked it but didn’t find anything incriminating on it. He returned my phone and said he would take me to the station except I pay N100,000. They had seen N99,000 in my Palm Pay application and my brother gave me the money to purchase the IJMB form.”

According to Oladebo, after a series of back and forth arguments with the police officers, they eventually demanded N20,000 from him.

The young man added; “I transferred the money to a Point-of-Sale operator whom the officers called to the location and they allowed me to go. The policemen were four and in a black Hilux van. My money is still with them.”