A group of policemen, reportedly led by Otobong Stephen from the Cross River State Police Command, has been accused of extorting ₦86,700 from two University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) students after their illegal arrest on Sunday.
The victims, Sarah Manyi Ezekiel, 20, a second-year Journalism student, and her 18-year-old sister, were allegedly detained by the officers at their home in the early hours of the morning. According to a Facebook post by human rights activist Agba Jalingo, the officers entered the residence without a warrant and arrested the students after responding to a petition from a local school accusing their landlord’s daughter of theft.
During the unlawful detention at the State CID, the officers allegedly refused to allow the students to make calls or change clothes until the money was paid for their release. Sarah revealed that her sister, who was menstruating, was denied access to water until the bail money was transferred to the officers' account.
“The only way they can give my sister water to bathe or allow her to change is if I agree to bail us,” Sarah recounted. She also described being forced to sign false statements implicating her in a theft she knew nothing about.
The extorted funds were transferred to an account under the name Dorathy Uba Okobi. Agba Jalingo condemned the incident as an abuse of power, calling for justice for the victims.
The matter has been reported to the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Austin Grimmah, who has arranged a meeting with the victims to address the allegations. Jalingo expressed confidence that the Commissioner would take decisive action, urging human rights activists to lend their support in holding the corrupt officers accountable.
“I trust the CP will address this thoroughly. Criminal police personnel should realize that their chances of escaping impunity are growing slimmer,” Jalingo stated.
Quote
Injustice:
"I find it necessary to publicly report that Sarah Manyi Ezekiel, a Year 2 student of Department of Journalism and Media Studies UNICROSS and her sister, got illegitimately arrested and detained for an offense that they didn't commit.
Here is an excerpt of what Sarah told me: "It was around 1am on Sunday that someone came to our apartment and knocked on our door. The person shouted 'open the door' and I asked who is that? The man said 'we are Policemen'. I was alarmed because at that time of the night, even thieves can pretend to be Policemen' and ask us to open our door. I told the person that I can't open the door. Before we knew what was happening, they broke the door because it is a wooden door and we don't have a protector.
"They came inside and said 'you are under arrest'. They didn't even show us their identity cards. When I asked them why we were under arrest', one of them said 'when you get to the station, you will know'. I told them that we can't accompany them to the station because we have not committed any offense. They forcefully collected our phones and said we can't make calls.
"One of them held a cutlass and brought it close to my face and asked me to dress up. We had to quickly dress up out of fear. The Policemen also arrested our neighbours who live in our compound. They took us to their station (State CID), and detained us in a cell until the next day around 6pm.
"My sister was in her period but they refused to give her water to take her bath. I was begging them to at least allow us to make a statement or make a phone call. One of them said the only way they can give my sister water to bathe or allow her to change is if I agree to bail us. That was how I said I want to bail my sister and I. They now gave her water to bathe and gave her pad to change.
"After that, the man was forcing me to make a statement that I was involved in stealing and conspiracy. I told them that I can't write such a thing because I have never stolen anything and I have no idea of any theft. They said that our landlord's son is a thief. I refused to write anything because I don't know anything about the character of our landlord's son.
"They now asked one man to write a statement for us. I don't even know what the man wrote. That was when they said I should bail myself and my sister. They asked me to do a transfer of eighty six thousand seven hundred naira to their account. They have an account where they transfer money to. I transferred the money to them before we were released.
(Sarah is 20 years old and her sister is 18 years old.)
The screenshot that accompanies this post shows evidence of what Sarah transferred to those who arrested her. Sarah gave me the phone number of the Policeman that masterminded their arrest. I attempted to call him and get his response to Sarah's story but he didn't answer my calls. Here is his phone number: 08060966603. Truecaller identified him as Otobong Sunday.
Sarah disclosed that she feels traumatized and unable to study as effectively as she should. Consequently, I appeal to members of the public, especially human rights activists, to assist in seeking redress for her and her sister and to assist in bringing Otobong Sunday to book.
Written by Cornelius Ellah
Ellah is the Head of Department of Journalism and Media Studies in UNICROSS.
Addendum:
The gist is that the Police were responding to a petition from a school that the landlord's daughter stole chairs from the school. On breaking into the compound and taking the landlord and the son, they decided to mop up other co-tenants and carry them along to collect money. Because once you pay, you are freed to go. Nothing else.
Anyway, the CP of the State, Mr Augustine Grimmah has been contacted and an appointment has been fixed for 12noon today. That's a few minutes time. Mr. Ellah will be accompanying his two students to the CP and I trust that the CP will address this thoroughly. He has previously responded very sternly to several of our complaints and I think that he won't handle this differently.
Criminal Police personnel should also realize that chances of escaping with this sort of impunity are slimming out.
And for Mr Otobong Stephen, if you like take your call, if you like don't take the call, but you see that money, you go vomit am today. There is no hiding place for bad eggs like you. I trust the CP. You will sleep in that same cell where you put those two smallie. For your uniform, YOU MAY LOSE IT! God save you.
Nigeria Police Force
Frank Mba
Bassey Ewah
Irene Ugbo
"I find it necessary to publicly report that Sarah Manyi Ezekiel, a Year 2 student of Department of Journalism and Media Studies UNICROSS and her sister, got illegitimately arrested and detained for an offense that they didn't commit.
Here is an excerpt of what Sarah told me: "It was around 1am on Sunday that someone came to our apartment and knocked on our door. The person shouted 'open the door' and I asked who is that? The man said 'we are Policemen'. I was alarmed because at that time of the night, even thieves can pretend to be Policemen' and ask us to open our door. I told the person that I can't open the door. Before we knew what was happening, they broke the door because it is a wooden door and we don't have a protector.
"They came inside and said 'you are under arrest'. They didn't even show us their identity cards. When I asked them why we were under arrest', one of them said 'when you get to the station, you will know'. I told them that we can't accompany them to the station because we have not committed any offense. They forcefully collected our phones and said we can't make calls.
"One of them held a cutlass and brought it close to my face and asked me to dress up. We had to quickly dress up out of fear. The Policemen also arrested our neighbours who live in our compound. They took us to their station (State CID), and detained us in a cell until the next day around 6pm.
"My sister was in her period but they refused to give her water to take her bath. I was begging them to at least allow us to make a statement or make a phone call. One of them said the only way they can give my sister water to bathe or allow her to change is if I agree to bail us. That was how I said I want to bail my sister and I. They now gave her water to bathe and gave her pad to change.
"After that, the man was forcing me to make a statement that I was involved in stealing and conspiracy. I told them that I can't write such a thing because I have never stolen anything and I have no idea of any theft. They said that our landlord's son is a thief. I refused to write anything because I don't know anything about the character of our landlord's son.
"They now asked one man to write a statement for us. I don't even know what the man wrote. That was when they said I should bail myself and my sister. They asked me to do a transfer of eighty six thousand seven hundred naira to their account. They have an account where they transfer money to. I transferred the money to them before we were released.
(Sarah is 20 years old and her sister is 18 years old.)
The screenshot that accompanies this post shows evidence of what Sarah transferred to those who arrested her. Sarah gave me the phone number of the Policeman that masterminded their arrest. I attempted to call him and get his response to Sarah's story but he didn't answer my calls. Here is his phone number: 08060966603. Truecaller identified him as Otobong Sunday.
Sarah disclosed that she feels traumatized and unable to study as effectively as she should. Consequently, I appeal to members of the public, especially human rights activists, to assist in seeking redress for her and her sister and to assist in bringing Otobong Sunday to book.
Written by Cornelius Ellah
Ellah is the Head of Department of Journalism and Media Studies in UNICROSS.
Addendum:
The gist is that the Police were responding to a petition from a school that the landlord's daughter stole chairs from the school. On breaking into the compound and taking the landlord and the son, they decided to mop up other co-tenants and carry them along to collect money. Because once you pay, you are freed to go. Nothing else.
Anyway, the CP of the State, Mr Augustine Grimmah has been contacted and an appointment has been fixed for 12noon today. That's a few minutes time. Mr. Ellah will be accompanying his two students to the CP and I trust that the CP will address this thoroughly. He has previously responded very sternly to several of our complaints and I think that he won't handle this differently.
Criminal Police personnel should also realize that chances of escaping with this sort of impunity are slimming out.
And for Mr Otobong Stephen, if you like take your call, if you like don't take the call, but you see that money, you go vomit am today. There is no hiding place for bad eggs like you. I trust the CP. You will sleep in that same cell where you put those two smallie. For your uniform, YOU MAY LOSE IT! God save you.
Nigeria Police Force
Frank Mba
Bassey Ewah
Irene Ugbo
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