The Take It Back Movement, Oyo State Chapter, has intervened in a case involving an alleged extortion attempt by officers of the Nigeria Police Force attached to Kara Police Station in Akinyele, Oyo State, leading to the recovery of a seized motorcycle.
A member of the movement in Oyo State, Comrade Fatunla Isaac, popularly known as Daddy GO, gave a detailed account of the incident, while the victim, Abdullah, in a video made available to the movement’s editorial department, explained how the group helped secure the release of his motorcycle.
According to Abdullah, the incident occurred last week Wednesday when he parked his motorcycle in front of a filling station while waiting for someone. He said a man approached and greeted him, and shortly after, another individual removed the key from his motorcycle from behind. In video evidence of the intervention, Abdullah said, “When I asked why my bike key was taken, the person immediately brought out an identification card and introduced himself as a police officer.”
He explained that the officer informed him that his motorcycle had been arrested and demanded an on-the-spot payment of ₦10,000 before it could be released. Abdullah said he pleaded with the officers to accept the ₦2,000 he had at the time, but the request was rejected, and the motorcycle was taken to the station the following day.
Narrating what happened, Comrade Fatunla said the movement stepped in after learning that Abdullah’s motorcycle had been taken to the police station. “When we got the information that the police arrested him for nothing last Thursday and collected his bike because he could not pay the ₦10,000 they demanded, we went there this morning to retrieve it,” he said. He added that after members of the Take It Back Movement engaged with the officers, the motorcycle was released to its owner without any payment.
As part of the movement’s broader campaign against illegal policing and extortion, the Take-It-Back Movement, Lagos State Chapter, last December raised alarm over what it described as a surge in unlawful raids, arrests and extortion by the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Task Force during the festive period.
In a statement titled “Take-It-Back Movement Condemns Unlawful Arrests and Extortion by Nigeria Police Force and Lagos State Task Force,” the chapter said it was “appalled by the recent spate of unlawful arrests and extortion” across Lagos State. The statement, signed by the Lagos State Coordinator of the movement, Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek, and Public Relations Officer 2, Oluwatosin Adeyemi, made it known that several individuals were detained at different locations, with reports suggesting the operations were driven by financial motives linked to the festive season.
Adeyemi described the development as “a blatant abuse of power, a gross violation of human rights, and a betrayal of public trust,” stressing that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees citizens the right to liberty and security. He pointed it out that law enforcement agencies must uphold these rights rather than exploit them.
The movement also called on the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the leadership of the Task Force to immediately halt the reported illegal activities and ensure the unconditional release of those arrested. It further demanded a thorough investigation and accountability for officers found culpable.
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