The Take It Back Movement, Lagos State Chapter has disclosed details of its intervention in a case of police extortion involving two young boys in Lagos.
In a statement issued on Monday, the State Coordinator of the movement, Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek, said officers of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Tactical Team in Ijegun accosted two young boys who were riding a motorcycle.
According to the statement, the officers demanded to know their occupation. The young men explained that they are dancers. Unsatisfied with their response, the officers allegedly ordered them to unlock their mobile phones. When they initially refused, they were reportedly beaten, harassed, and intimidated until they complied.
After searching their phones and finding nothing incriminating, the officers reportedly went further to check their bank account balances. One of the victims, who had ₦180,000 in his account, was reportedly forced to transfer ₦173,000 to the officers, leaving him with only ₦7,000. The second victim was said to have secured his release after handing over ₦25,000 in cash.
The Coordinator said he immediately intervened when the case was brought to his attention. He expressed outrage over the incident and contacted the Divisional Police Officer, demanding a full refund of the money, “When this case got to my table, I was deeply infuriated and immediately contacted the station officer, demanding a refund.”
The victims were later invited to the station, where the allegedly extorted money was returned, “The officer subsequently asked the victims to come to his office, and the extorted money was returned.”
One of the victims, who identified himself as Olamide Ali, narrated his experience to the Editorial Department of the movement. He said he and his friend were travelling from Ijedodo to Igando when they were stopped by police officers at College Bus Stop.
“They asked us to come down and searched us but found nothing. They asked what work I do, and I told them I am a dancer. They asked me to unlock my phone. I asked why, and the officer shouted at me to unlock it. When I refused, they started slapping me and took us to their station, where they continued beating us until I unlocked my phone,” he said.
Olamide added that after finding nothing on his phone, the officers checked his bank account and demanded that he transfer ₦170,000 plus an additional ₦3,000 as charges from the ₦180,000 in his account. He said he also asked for permission to call the person he was going to meet in Igando to inform them of his arrest, but the request was denied, “They refused to release us until my friend gave them ₦25,000,” he said. He identified his friend as Adeyemi Ademola.
Expressing gratitude to the Take It Back Movement for its swift intervention, Olamide said he was thankful that the money was recovered, as he needed it to pay his school fees.
In November 2025, the Lagos state chapter of the movement raised concerns over what it described as a growing pattern of alleged kidnapping, unlawful detention, and extortion by police tactical units operating in parts of Lagos State.
The allegations were made public by the Movement’s State Coordinator, Comrade Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek, through posts shared on his official social media platforms. In the posts, he described the situation as “organised crime backed by a uniform.”
Comrade Taofeek expressed serious concern about the activities of officers attached to various Command Tactical Teams, with particular reference to the squad operating in the Ijegun area. He alleged that some units had strayed from their constitutional responsibilities and were now involved in acts amounting to kidnapping and ransom collection.
“There are kidnappers everywhere in Lagos and sadly, many of them are wearing police uniforms,” he wrote. He further alleged that certain tactical squads routinely stop individuals, detain them, and compel them to pay money before releasing them, describing the practice as criminal and inconsistent with proper policing.
Citing an incident, Taofeek alleged that a young woman was taken away by officers while she was speaking with her boyfriend by the roadside. According to him, the boyfriend escaped, but the woman was transported to the officers’ base, where a demand of ₦100,000 was allegedly made for her release. He claimed that her family eventually paid ₦30,000.
Taofeek maintained that such incidents appear to follow a pattern. He stated that shortly after he publicly criticised the Ijegun tactical team online, he received another report alleging that a young man had been detained and initially asked to pay ₦200,000. According to him, the amount was later reduced to ₦100,000 and eventually ₦51,000, which the victim allegedly raised from friends and family.
The activist also criticised the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force, accusing senior officials of failing to adequately address the alleged misconduct. He argued that the continued reports of abuse suggest a lack of effective oversight within the command structure.
He further claimed that the Ijegun Tactical Team had previously been disbanded following a petition he submitted to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police at Alagbon, but was later reinstated. He questioned the decision, alleging that the same pattern of misconduct resumed after their return.
Leave a Reply