How Police arrested, extorted N100,000 from me – Lagos Software developer

David Okwulili, a software developer in Lagos took to Twitter to share how operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Lagos State Police Command arrested and extorted him on Thursday.

Okwulili via his Twitter handle, @dav_okwulili, said he was arrested by four policemen on Tuesday in the Gbagada area, while standing by the roadside and waiting for a tricycle to convey him home.

According to Okwulili, he followed a friend, who just moved to the Gbagada area, to buy buckets and while going back, he stopped over at a barber’s shop.

The software developer, in a series of tweets, said after he left the barber’s shop, he crossed to the other side of the road to look for a tricycle.

He tweeted, “I left my house around past 6pm yesterday to get plastic buckets with a friend because he just moved into a new apartment around Gbagada. On returning, I branched into a saloon to have my hair cut which was around past 7pm.

“I was done with my hair by quarter to 8pm then paid and left, I got across the road to take Napep from the salon to where I stay. The next thing I saw was four men in black, boldly written on their shirt ‘Anti-Cultism Unit’ with guns.

“Then one of them grabbed me from the waist, while he said I should get into the bus, I asked why and he said, they are policemen that I should get inside. I obeyed and entered (before I start receiving slaps). Then I was searched, which I was having just 4k and my ATM card, my phone and its charger.

“They said I should give them my phone, I refused and said that it was private and that they aren’t permitted to search it. They asked what do I do and I told them that I’m a software developer and I mentioned the company I work with. They requested for my ID card, I told them that I just came to cut my hair and I did not come with an ID (which in my head I said f**k up).

“They said I should not call anybody nor use my phone. A few minutes later, a call from the office came in, because we have been working remotely, I picked and the phone was dragged from my hand, which I didn’t bother dragging because I can’t afford to start fixing Samsung screen.

“They drove us down to Gbagada, Ifako, Yetunde Brown Street, to Deeper Life HQ, and New Garage. Though while they were driving, they picked more people, even those that were sitting in front of their houses, if you resist, they will use slaps and punches which I was avoiding, they even used tear gas on one.

“We got to the station (Anti-Cultism Unit, Gbagada Charlie Boy) around quarter to 10pm. We came down from the bus with our hands up, which I so felt humiliated and portrayed as a criminal. They removed our slippers and shoes, took us inside, while they wrote down our names, and went out for the second parade.

“I saw a lot of people, both female and male, in which more were still being brought in by different units. I overheard some saying they picked them from Ikorodu, Onipanu, Mushin, Oshodi, Bariga and Ketu etc. One of the girls said she has been there for 2 days now because she didn’t agree to sleep with one of the policemen.

“We were treated as criminals; they took us to the passage of the cell, told us to sit on the floor, while more people were brought in. The odour from the toilet covered the cell, in which I had to hold my urine until I couldn’t take it anymore. Not to talk of the cell itself, the mosquito were vampires, they ate the living hell out of me because there was no light.

“For a while, I couldn’t sleep. I woke up more than 20 times to find out it was still 3am. Also, everyone was sharing how they got picked. By daybreak, we were called out by the unit that brought us in. We were taken to the back of the cell to write statement sitting on the floor.

“They gave us our phones to call someone; I was finally bailed with N10,000 by both of my friends that have been trying to reach me all through yesterday till today. Also before you go into the station to see anyone, you will deposit N1,000 at the gate. This is just to create awareness of the mess the society is in, cause I believe there are still some people that will spend the next 5 to 7 days in that station.”

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said investigation had commenced into the incident and the general activities of the unit.

He stated, “We have commenced investigation into the matter already; we want to arrive at the truth and we wish that the victim can step forward to help us with some facts to aid the investigation. We have commenced investigation into the general activities of the unit.”