Artiste alleges police extortion of N1m at Lagos airport

A An upcoming artiste identified as Efemena Richard has recounted his experience at the hands of some police officers who allegedly extorted N1 million from him.

The officers who were attached to the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos State, also forced the artiste to sign some papers and took photographs of him.

An X user identified as Harrison Gwamnishu, but tweeting as #HarrisonBbi18, shared a video of the artiste narrating his ordeal via his X handle late Monday, October 21, 2024.

Gwamnishu noted that Richard informed him via Instagram.

The messages read, “Boss, [the] police just extorted me. They took 1 million naira from me after searching my phone at the airport and found nothing.

“I was headed to the airport when they stopped me. I told them I was already missing my flight but they refused to allow me to go,” adding that they [the police] forced him to transfer the sum from his account before going to Warri, Delta State.

The 3 minutes-long video which was tagged, “One million naira extorted from a music artist #smookyhighgrade by some police officers attached to the Beesam Police Station before Muritala Mohammed Airport, Lagos,” showed the artiste in a moving vehicle, alleging that he was held by some police officers who demanded $10,000 from him before he could catch his flight at the airport.

“They asked for $10,000. They gave me papers to write [on] that they will leave me if I write anything I’m asked to write, so I can go catch my flight. I could have left the money but I can’t, it’s a lot of money. Nigerians, please help me, N1 million is no small money.”

He narrated that he made a video of one of the men, showing the dark-stained tips of his fingers which he said were proofs of thumbprints made, at the behest of the officers.

The artiste also recalled that he was recorded in a video in which the officers forced him to speak [to show that he wasn’t under duress], and signed papers, to be used as his consent, after which he told his sister to send the N1m.

“They even asked for my blockchain wallet, I don’t know what concerns the police with that. I’m just an upcoming artiste, not a fraudster. I just came from South Africa to promote my music. I was heading home to see my mum before I experienced this.

Reacting to the tweet on Monday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, called on the Lagos Police Command PRO, Benjamin Hundeyin, and the PRO, Airport Command, to commence an investigation into the matter.

“#PoliceNG_CRU, #PoliceNG, contact #BenHundeyin and PRO Airport Command to fish out these men and revert please. Thanks,” the tweet read.