Lagos policemen “rob medical doctor of N45,000”, continue worrying trend
A medical doctor has become the latest victim of police harassment and extortion in Lagos.
The victim, Dr Itan, alleged that operatives from the Area M command extorted N45,000 from him.
He said he was returning with his wife, around 1am, from an emergency at the private hospital in the Iyana-Ipaja area where he works, when he was stopped by the officers.
They demanded N100,000 after refusing to hear his explanations, he alleged. He was threatened to be charged with robbery.
Dr Itan said his wife was forced to make a withdrawal of N45,000 from the ATM after they were detained by the officers for close to three hours.
He said he saw other motorists also being extorted, as they claimed they got a tip-off on a robbery operation in the area and they were all suspects.
Read Dr Itan’s narration of his ordeal at the hands of the security operatives:
“I live in Ikeja, while the hospital where I work is at Iyana Ipaja. I was at home on April 9 when a nurse called me that we had a patient that had problem passing urine. The man was in pain and I recommended some drugs.
“But the nurse called back that the situation was getting critical and I decided to drive down. I got to the hospital with my wife; and by some minutes past 1am, we were done.
“I was driving back when I sighted a road block by a police team at Moshalashi Roundabout, Iyana Ipaja. I saw different Rapid Response Squad vehicles at the junction. They asked me to park and I did.
“They asked why I was wandering at that time of the night and I told them that I was a medical doctor and I had an emergency which I had to respond to. I showed them my identity card and complimentary cards. The policemen checked my vehicle documents and driving licence, which were complete.
“But one of the policemen said anybody could be a doctor during the day and a robber at night. I told them that if they had issues with where I was coming from, they could follow me back to the hospital. But they refused.
“They said as a doctor I didn’t need to get myself embarrassed and that I could just settle them and leave. Since I didn’t have any money, I did not pay anything.
“They took us to the Area M Police Command on Idimu Road. But instead of driving into the station, they asked us all to park our vehicles at a car wash beside the command.
“I asked them to take me to the Area Commander, adding that I was ready to be investigated. But they only demanded my car key and kept silent,” he added.
The victim said some of the other motorists started paying some money to the policemen and were released.
He said later, a Deputy Superintendent of Police approached him and after he identified himself as a medical doctor, the DSP asked the policemen to search his vehicle.
Nothing incriminating was said to have been found in the car.
“He then held my pouch, which contained my driving licence, passport, hospital ID card and the ID card of another hospital where I was formerly working.
“He asked what I was doing with two ID cards of different hospitals, and I explained to him. I also told him it was not a crime if I had ID cards of two hospitals if I was working in one and consulting for the other. He became angry.
“When it was getting to about 4am and I didn’t bulge, one of them came to me and said I was not supposed to follow them to the area command in the first place and that since they had brought me there, they might have to charge me with robbery. I told him there was nothing I could do because I didn’t have any money on me.
“At that point, they volunteered to follow my wife to the Automated Teller Machine to withdraw some money. I told them I didn’t have N100,000. But the policeman said I cannot give them small money because all of them, including the DSP, will share it.
“Later, they decided to collect N45,000. They drove my wife to the ATM where she made the withdrawal before we were eventually released,” Itan added.
Itan said the policemen advised him to always move in an ambulance whenever there was an emergency or in the alternative he should tell his hospital to write the area command.
He said he reported his ordeal to the management of his hospital, but was advised to let go.
“The hospital said it was what they did every time and I was surprised because I was new in the place. They said since they were in that environment and they always had to respond to emergencies from time to time, they didn’t want to be victimised.
“But I want those policemen punished for the act. The police authorities should go after them; they are always at that junction, robbing innocent motorists,” he added.
The doctor said he could identify the officers, as he wrote down the name and number of one of them.
Yesterday (Monday), a man identified as Keji Butty had also narrated how security operatives under the Iyanan Ipaja bridge assaulted and extorted him.
Citizens wonder when the harassment and assaults by law enforcers would stop.
