A young Nigerian man has alleged that police officers in Owerri, Imo State, assaulted and extorted him, leaving him stranded without money or means of transport. Narrating his ordeal, the victim said he had stepped out on a recent morning to buy food when a group of officers accosted him, forcibly bundled him into their vehicle, and drove him into a nearby bush.
According to his account, the officers subjected him to severe physical assault and intimidation, demanding access to his mobile phone. He initially refused, arguing that they had no legal right to search his device, but relented when the beating intensified. Upon searching the phone and finding nothing incriminating, the officers reportedly checked his bank account, where they found a balance of ₦30,000. They allegedly forced him to hand over his ATM card, withdrew all the funds, and subsequently returned the card to him before ordering him to leave the scene.
The incident has drawn public attention, with several others on X (formerly Twitter) recounting similar experiences involving police officers in Owerri. Many users have expressed outrage over what they describe as a pattern of harassment, assault, and extortion by law enforcement agents in the area. There has been no official response from the Imo State Police Command as of press time.
