Frisking: Lagosians complain of police harassment, extortion

Some residents in Lagos, particularly young men, on Tuesday complained of police harassment in some parts of the metropolis, under the guise of “stemming crime and criminality”.
They said that the policemen go about in commercial buses with Lagos State colours, stopping them and frisking their bodies and checking their belongings.
The complainants identified the areas where the officers carried out the acts to include: Costain Roundabout, Amukoko, Ojuelegba, Adeniran Ogunsanya, Ikeja and Okota roundabout.
Such activities have also been reported at Ogba, Idimu roundabout, Iyana-Ipaja under bridge, Tinubu Square, Idumota, Adeniji Adele top of Bridge, Mile 2, Oshodi, CMS and Ojota bus stop, amongst others.
One of the complainants said that some officers from `Area C’, stopped him at Pako area of Aguda, on his way from the bank and arrested him for allegedly being in possession of some money.
“I went to the bank on February 15, 2015 to collect N50,000 which my father sent to me from abroad, but while returning home, some policemen in a patrol vehicle belonging to Area `C’ stopped me for a search.
“They asked what I was doing for a living; I told them I am a student and I presented my School Identity card to affirm that I was indeed a student.
“They asked me where I got the money in my pocket from and I told them my father sent it to me and I showed them the papers I used to collect the money.
“After checking my handset and the e-mails, they collected N30,000 out of the money and asked me to go.
“I had to allow it because they were armed and I could not challenge them,’’ the victim said.
Mr Mike Ogunsanya, a trader, recalled that on February 9, when he was going to Lagos Island for a visa interview, he was stopped at Ojota bus stop for a check, only to end up at Area `H’, Ogudu, until his parents were contacted for his bail.
A civil servant, who sought anonymity, said that some policemen stopped him at Costain roundabout for a `routine check’, requested to look at his phone, and he protested and was allowed to go.
“My brother was stopped with some other young men at Ogba for a search; it was only those with identity cards that were allowed to go.
“Those without identity cards were asked to enter their bus. You have to bail yourself from the station before you are allowed to go,’’ the civil servant said.
Sikiru Oriekun, a barber who resides at Ojuelegba, said that on June 25 at Ojuelegba, he was stopped for a search by some policemen, using a commercial bus with Reg. No. (LAGOS) XL 616 GGE, about noon.
“They checked my phone and bag and took me along to their station and called a relation to come and bail him,’’ Oriekun said.
He recalled that his relation negotiated with the policemen and they set him free after collecting N3,000 as bail.
When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said police officers are empowered to stop suspected people believed to be in possession of incriminating items for routine checks.
Nwosu added that no police officer was, however, permitted to scroll through any handset or laptop on the road, as these were personal items.
“Police officers can stop people anywhere, anytime, when such persons are suspected to be in possession of incriminating things.
“It is wrong for police officers and men to check your handset or laptop on the road. Any person could, however, be stopped by the police under stop and search operations.
“The police can search your bag and pockets if you are suspected to be with incriminating things but not your private gadgets.
“Any person who feels that his rights have been abused by any police officer, should report such officer to the authority with evidence, for investigation,’’ Nwosu said.
Nwosu said that many criminals had been apprehended through stop and search activities.
He, however, urged members of the public to always identify and submit themselves whenever they were stopped by police officers.