Osun Speaker, concerned residents force police officers to refund N75, 000 extorted from travellers
There was confusion on Thursday evening along Ido-Osun road, Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State when some travellers protested extortion by some policemen from the state police command.
The protesters accused the armed policemen of standing in the middle of the road and extorting travellers.
Upon sighting the convoy of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, the aggrieved persons stopped the convoy and reported the illegal activities of the policemen to the head of the state parliament.
In a video obtained by The Point on Friday, Egbedun, in company of other concerned residents, were seen chasing the cops as they ran into bush.
The Speaker was heard condemning extortion by the policemen.
In the trending video, Egbedun and other concerned citizens could be seen telling the policemen to refund the money transferred into their account.
A statement issued on Friday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Olamide Tiamiyu, disclosed that Egbedun ensured that the sum of N75, 000 extorted from some youths who were identified as traditional worshipers going for the ongoing Osun-Osogbo festival, were refunded by the policemen.
It reads, “Rt. Hon. Egbedun was returning from a trip to Ayedire Local Government when some distressed citizens flagged his vehicle to complain on the illicit activities of the men of the police force for intervention.
“The victims, who were traveling for the Osun Osogbo festival scheduled for tomorrow, narrated their ordeal in the hands of the officers. They added that the policemen, who refused all pleas to allow them go on their journey, eventually forced the three among them to make a transfer of N25, 000 each.
“When approached to hear their sides of the story, the leader of the police team confirmed to the Speaker that they collected the quoted amount from the three commuters and pleaded for forgiveness.
“Rt. Hon Egbedun used the opportunity to address the commuters and passers-by that stopped to witness the incident to stress that it is our collective responsibility to sanitize the state. He added that if as citizens, we are willing to be responsible, the society will be better for us to live.
“He then called the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Kehinde Longe to report the conduct of his personnel to him, who immediately summoned the officers to the State headquarters for possible disciplinary action.
“The Speaker charged Nigerians to be responsible citizens in whatever role they find themselves, noting that the answer to a better society that all yearn for is a collective duty.”
Meanwhile, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi said on Friday that some policemen have been arrested for extortion in Osun State.
Reacting to the video, Adejobi confirmed that the said officers involved in the act have been arrested and said necessary action would be taken against them.
Adejobi tweeted, “The Commissioner of Police Osun State, CP Kehinde Longe, has acted on this. The officers have been arrested, and necessary action would be taken.
“The PPRO Osun has been ordered to update us on the actions taken. We have zero tolerance for extortion and corruption in general.”
