Seven mobile police officers attached to the Kwara State Police Command have been accused of allegedly extorting ₦70,000 from a student of Kwara State Polytechnic under the guise of a security check.
The incident reportedly occurred on the 12th Janaury 2025, at Garage Offa in Ilorin, where the victim, identified as Gbemileke Olayiwola, was stopped at a checkpoint while returning to school. Officers demanded a luggage search, during which they allegedly found a locally‑made anti‑malaria soap in his bag. Despite the student’s explanation that the soap was prepared by his parents for medicinal use, the officers labeled him a “Yahoo Boy” a slang term for an internet fraudster and isolated him from other passengers.
Olayiwola told journalists that although nothing incriminating was found on his phone, the officers became aggressive. When he refused to sign a statement drafted by the police, which he said he did not understand, he was reportedly assaulted and coerced into signing it.
Under duress, the student said he handed over ₦70,000, meant for his tuition, before the officers released him later that evening. His uncle, Lukman Abioye, confirmed that the medicinal soap was prepared by the student’s family and expressed shock that it was used as a pretext for extortion and physical intimidation by law enforcement.
Olayiwola was allegedly told he needed to pay ₦300,000 for bail, an amount far exceeding his school fees, before the officers eventually accepted the payment of ₦70,000. The student’s phone was seized during the ordeal, preventing him from contacting his parents until late in the evening.
The Police Complaint Response Unit of the state command was contacted about the matter. According to reports, an officer requested details of the incident via WhatsApp but had not responded at press time.
