From Ifeoma Ejiofor
Residents in Aromma area of Awka the Anambra State capital have lamented over what they called police extortion in the area.
A spokes person for the victim, Jude Ike said that the situation got to the climax last Friday night as police operatives from the B Division of NPF embarked on indiscriminate arrest.
He claimed that many people were arrested at about 8.00 pm and clamped into police cell even when there is no form of curfew in place in the state.
“Many people were arrested around Aromma on Friday night and were taken to B Division close to Anambra State Secretariat. They were eventually asked to bail themselves with twenty thousand Naira each.
“The persons who were able to pay for their freedom were released while those who couldn’t pay spent the night in the police net.
“Before Friday, the operatives always position themselves along Ifite road and other locations where they make it compulsory for motorists and keke drivers to cough out money or waste their time unnecessarily.” Ike explained.
He appealed to the Anambra State governor, Prof Charles Soludo and the new Commissioner of Police, Remi Adeoye(CP) to call the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of B Division and his men to order.
Ike expressed the preparedness of the people of the area to take to the street to protest what he called illegal activities of operatives of B Division.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ikenga Tochukwu (DSP) when contacted over the development said, “I don’t have any information on this, I urge the victims to come forward to help unravel what transpired, please”