The Take It Back (TIB) Movement, Lagos State Chapter, has raised alarm over what it describes as a growing wave of alleged kidnapping, detention, and extortion by police tactical units operating across Lagos State.
The disturbing revelations were made public by the Movement’s State Coordinator, Comrade Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeeq, who took to his official social media handles on Tuesday to expose what he termed as “organised crime backed by a uniform.”
Taofeeq expressed grave concern over the conduct of police officers attached to various Command Tactical Teams, particularly the squad operating in the Ijegun area.
In his statement, he alleged that certain police units have deviated from their constitutional duties and now engage in outright kidnapping and ransom collection.
“There are kidnappers everywhere in Lagos and sadly, many of them are wearing police uniforms,” Taofeeq wrote. “These so-called CP Tactical Teams or tactical squads have become licensed kidnappers in uniform. They stop you, pick you up, drive you to their office or a lonely spot, and force you to pay ransom before they let you go. This is not policing, this is organised crime backed by a uniform.”
Citing a recent incident involving a young lady allegedly abducted while conversing with her boyfriend along the roadside, Taofeeq revealed that although the boyfriend escaped, the lady was taken away. “Just three days ago, the CP Tactical Team attached to Ijegun kidnapped a young lady who was simply talking to her boyfriend by the roadside. The boyfriend escaped, but they took the girl to their office and demanded 100k for her release. The parents eventually raised 30k for doing absolutely nothing,” he alleged.
Taofeeq said the pattern of extortion appears systemic and persistent. According to him, shortly after calling out the same tactical team online, he received another distress report. “A few minutes after I called out this same Ijegun tactical team online, I received another call: they had kidnapped a young man and demanded 200k, later ‘negotiated’ to 100k, and finally collected 51k after the victim begged friends and family. Is this not kidnapping for ransom?” he queried.
The activist further criticised the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force, accusing them of turning a blind eye to these alleged abuses. “All of this is happening under the watch of the illegal IGP Egbetokun and the incompetent Lagos State Commissioner of Police,” he stated, insisting that the police hierarchy has failed to curb these infractions.
He also alleged that the same Ijegun tactical team had been disbanded weeks earlier following his petition to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police at Alagbon, but was inexplicably reinstated. “The same Ijegun tactical team was disbanded weeks ago after I petitioned the AIG Alagbon, only for them to be reinstated to continue the same criminal operations,” he stated.
Taofeeq disclosed that despite repeatedly contacting the Officer-in-Charge of the Ijegun Tactical Unit, identified as CSP Aduroja, his calls have gone unanswered. “For the past 7 days, I have called the OC Tactical Ijegun, CSP Aduroja, to report these kidnaps happening right under his watch. He has refused to pick or return my calls. If the police can kidnap you and your partner by the roadside, then nobody is safe,” he lamented, concluding with the warning that “Silence in the face of injustice is complicity.”
In a follow-up update, Taofeeq revealed that efforts by the Movement have yielded partial results. According to him, at least one victim has received a refund of the money allegedly extorted. “UPDATE: I can now confirm that one of the victims extorted by men of the Nigeria Police Force, the CP Tactical Team attached to Ijegun, Lagos has been refunded. Efforts are ongoing to reach other affected victims to ensure they also receive their refunds,” he wrote.
Reaffirming the Movement’s commitment to social justice and human rights advocacy, Taofeeq added: “We will never be silent in the face of injustice. The struggle continues. ✊🏾”
As of the time of filling this report, the Lagos State Police Command had yet to issue an official response to the allegations.
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