In the heart of Calabar, a disturbing trend of daily extortion by policemen has been unfolding, leaving many to wonder about the safety and integrity of law enforcement in the area. The neighborhood of Atakpa police station has become a hotspot for these illicit activities, where different sets of police teams, typically six operatives, are deployed from 7:30 pm onwards to the Calabar Road near Watt Market. Instead of conducting genuine stop and search operations, these officers have been forcing commercial bus drivers to part with N200 or N500, often at gunpoint, from 8 pm to 10:30 pm every evening.
This brazen practice has been confirmed by multiple visits from correspondents, who have witnessed the extortion firsthand and spoken to bus drivers who have fallen victim to these demands. Young Emmanuel, an 18-seater commercial bus driver, expressed his frustration, stating, “These policemen have taken this thing as a right, forcing us to give them money. They will never listen to any explanation, and whether you pass the road five times, you must give them money, not lower than N200.” The drivers are often threatened with guns, shouted at, and even forced to park for nearly an hour if they refuse to comply.
The scale of this extortion is staggering, with the endless stream of commercial vehicles on the busy market road generating a substantial amount of money for the policemen every night. Another bus driver, Orji Igwe, who plies his trade on Marian Road, confirmed that the extortion is not limited to the Atakpa area and occurs round the clock. The drivers are not being stopped for legitimate reasons, such as checking roadworthiness or licenses, but rather as a pretext for demanding money. As one driver put it, “When they call out for vehicle papers, they actually mean ‘Bring money’.”
When a reporter approached one of the policemen, who identified himself as Peter, to inquire about the extortion, he was met with hostility and threats. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusegun Omosanyin, was unavailable for comment, but the state Deputy PPRO, Igri Ewa, acknowledged the information, saying, “Thank you for the information. We will verify.” The people of Calabar and the international community are left wondering about the accountability and integrity of the police force in the face of such blatant corruption. As the story continues to unfold, it remains to be seen what actions will be taken to address this egregious abuse of power.
