Nigerian Police While crime rates rise, our officers are extorting citizens at gunpoint

A student, Lana Akintola has narrated, via his Twitter account, how three policemen accosted him and made him withdraw 40,000 naira at gunpoint.

The Nigerian Police cannot seem to do anything right at the moment. Every step forward is followed by, at least, a long stroll in the opposite direction.

A student, Lana Akintola has accused officers of the Nigerian Police, via his Twitter handle @LanaAkintola, of extorting him at gunpoint, forcing him to the ATM to withdraw tens of thousands of naira for no apparent reason.

We live in very delicate times. Due to the reality of the Nigerian economy, the crime rate in Nigerian cities is as high as it has ever been. The activities of kidnappers and crime gangs such as Badoo in Ikorodu have dominated the news in recent weeks. It is little surprise that the average Lagosian, or Nigerian for that matter, is more cautious now, simply because he has to be.

Perhaps, in an effort to instill some confidence and prevent crime in certain high-risk areas, there has been increased activity by Police patrol teams who often loiter around roads and notable junctions at various times during the day.