Some lawless operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to Zone 7 in Abuja have been accused of extorting over ₦8.6million from a group of university students after falsely labelling them internet fraudsters and threatening them with harm if they reported the incident.
The incident reportedly occurred in Gwarinpa, Abuja, where the students from Kogi State were staying in a hotel before they were allegedly raided by armed police officers.
According to sources familiar with the matter, about six officers stormed the hotel, forcefully gained access to the students’ rooms and accused them of engaging in “Yahoo Yahoo” (internet fraud).
The victims were subsequently arrested and taken to the Zone 7 Police Command, located in Wuse Zone 3, where they were detained and allegedly subjected to intimidation and threats.
“They were told they were fraudsters and that things would get worse for them if they did not cooperate,” a source said.
While in custody, the students were allegedly forced to transfer a total sum of ₦8,620,000 to a Point of Sale (POS) account reportedly provided by the officers.
Sources said the POS operator used for the transaction is located directly in front of the police facility, raising further concerns about alleged collusion.
“The money was transferred to a POS account right in front of their office. The officers were the ones who directed them where to send the money,” the source added.
It was gathered that the students were only released after completing the payment and were warned not to report the incident or face severe consequences.
“They were threatened and told not to speak about what happened. That is why they are still scared to come forward,” another source said.
The incident was later reported to the Complaint Response Unit (CRU) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja by concerned individuals, including a student union leader from the victims’ institution.
Despite the complaint, sources allege that the officers involved have boasted of having strong connections within the police hierarchy, making it difficult for the victims to pursue justice.
“They believe nothing would happen because of their connections, and that has made the victims even more afraid,” a source familiar with the case disclosed.
It was also alleged that one officer identified simply as “Bassey” is a key figure in the unit and has been linked to similar misconduct.
SaharaReporters gathered that evidence, including transaction receipts and phone numbers linked to the officers, has been obtained and submitted as part of the complaint.
However, when contacted on Tuesday, the Investigating Police Officer handling the case declined to comment on the allegations.