A Nigerian police internal communication has confirmed a disturbing case of police brutality and extortion allegedly carried out by three serving Inspectors of the Oyo State Police Command on the Ife-Ibadan Expressway.
According to the police signal seen by newsmen, the incident occurred on Thursday, May 8, 2025, around 11am, along the Ife/Ibadan Expressway near Ikire, Osun State.
Acting on intelligence that some travellers had been kidnapped and taken into the Akinrere bush along the highway, a team of detectives led by Divisional Police Officer (DPO) CSP Bamidele Olatona swiftly moved to the scene.
Shockingly, upon arrival, the team arrested three policemen — Inspector Awo Augustine (AP/No.209309), Inspector Ola Benjamin (AP/No.355412), and Corporal Olatoye Olawale (F/No. 508953) — all serving under the Oyo State Police Command.
They were found in company of one civilian identified as Adeoye Adebayo, who turned out to be their victim.
During interrogation, Adebayo narrated a harrowing ordeal. He stated that he boarded a commercial vehicle from Abeokuta to Akure, but on reaching the Asejire area in Ibadan, a group of policemen stopped the vehicle.
He was forcibly pulled out, bundled into a patrol car, and driven deep into the bush.
Once isolated, the policemen allegedly coerced him into handing over N70,000 in cash before releasing him.
The report further confirms that the extorted cash has been recovered from the officers involved. The case is expected to be transferred to Osogbo for further investigation.
This incident adds to the growing list of abuses by security operatives as public confidence in law enforcement continues to decline.
The wireless message reads: “INCIDENT REPORT ON DISCREDIBLE CONDUCT, TODAY BEING 08/05/2025 AT ABOUT 1100HRS UPON INFORMATION RECEIVED THAT SOME TRAVELLERS HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED AND TAKEN TO AKINRERE BUSH ALONG IFE/IBADAN EXPRESS WAY IKIRE, IMMEDIATELY THE TEAM OF DETECTIVES INCLUDE OPERATIVE MINE LED BY DPO MINE MR BAMIDELE OLATONA CSP SWIFT TO ACTION WHERE THREE POLICEMEN NAMED AP/NO.209309 INSPR. AWO AUGUSTINE, AP/NO.355412 INSPR OLA BENJAMIN AND F/NO. 508953 CPL OLATOYE OLAWALE SERVING AT OYO STATE COMMAND WERE ARRESTED WITH ONE ADEOYE ADEBAYO AND BROUGHT TO THE STATION, DURING INTERROGATION, THE VICTIM NAMED ADEOYE ADEBAYO SAID THAT HE BOARD A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE FROM ABEOKUTA TO AKURE GETTING TO ASEJIRE AREA IBADAN A TEAM OF POLICEMEN STOP THEIR VEHICLE AND ORDER HIM TO COME DOWN AND ENTERED THEIR PATROL CAR AND DROVE HIM INTO BUSH WHERE THEY FORCEFULLY OBTAINED THE SUM OF SEVENTY THOUSAND NAIRA ONLY #70,000. FROM HIM, MEANWHILE THE CASH EXHIBIT HAS BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE POLICEMEN, CASE WILL BE TRANSFER TO OSOGBO FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION PLEASE.”
