The police in Enugu State South-east Nigeria, have vowed to punish officers who allegedly extorted N100,000 from a traveller in the state.
The officers allegedly extorted the traveller, Ejike Uchenna, on Monday morning along Nsukka-Ugwogo-Enugu Road.
The victim, Mr Uchenna, in a series of posts on his X handle (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday afternoon, had narrated how the officers allegedly seized his mobile phones and forced him to pay them N100,000 for being in possession of a laptop and two SIM cards in the state.
He said the officers told him that being in possession of multiple SIM cards in Enugu State was illegal.
But an Enugu-based lawyer, Olu Omotayo told PREMIUM TIMES that there was no law in the state and Nigeria in general prohibiting residents from possessing multiple SIM cards.
Mr Omotayo, who is the president of Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, said the claim by the police officers was wrong.
“There is no such law in the state or country. Even if there is going to be such a law, it should have been a national law because the issue of telecommunication is regulated by the NCC. No state has the power to enact any law in that regard,” the lawyer said.
Police speak
Reacting in a post on his X handle on Wednesday night, the police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, said he had spoken with the victim and “obtained actionable details” of the incident.
“I’ve also duly informed the Enugu State police commissioner who expressed disgust over the act and has directed that the police officers involved be fished out and dealt with accordingly,” said Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police.
The police spokesperson assured that the “needful will be done” because “acts of this nature are never condoned by the police.”