A recent open letter by Abiodun Ramon Oseni, a Fellow at the Institute of Security Nigeria, has highlighted the issue of extortion at police stations in Nigeria. Oseni, a former U.S. police officer and U.S. Army veteran, emphasized that this practice undermines national security and erodes public trust in law enforcement. He noted that citizens are often forced to pay bribes to have their statements recorded, with some police stations demanding up to ₦30,000 to open a case file.
According to Oseni, this practice is explicitly illegal under Nigerian law. The Police Act 2020 requires that basic police services, including crime prevention and handling public complaints, be fully funded by the public budget. Citizens are exempt from administrative or filing fees when reporting crimes. Section 98 of the Criminal Code Act defines any demand or acceptance of money by a public officer for official duties as corruption, subject to strict criminal penalties and imprisonment.
The issue of extortion at police stations is widespread, with Afrobarometer's research showing that 75% of Nigerians seeking police help are forced to pay a bribe. Oseni verified this claim by visiting a police station on the Lagos-Ogun border, where officers explicitly asked for ₦5,000 to write a report, claiming they needed the money to buy paper and printing supplies. He suggested that decentralised, direct-to-division budget allocations with strict auditing would address the root cause of stations' lack of basic items.
Oseni emphasized that demanding money for information or intelligence undermines Nigeria's security architecture. When citizens face financial extortion at police stations, public trust dissolves, fueling the perception that law enforcement is indifferent to public safety. He noted that insecurity remains Nigeria's most pressing challenge, with terrorism, banditry, and violent crime affecting citizens across urban centres and rural communities.
To address this issue, Oseni called on the Presidency, the Inspector-General of Police, the Ministry of Interior, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and relevant oversight agencies to implement measures to end extortion at police stations. These measures include strict policy enforcement and criminalisation of fee collection, public sensitisation and orientation, institutional oversight and whistleblower channels, and ensuring that basic operational materials are adequately supplied to divisional police stations.
Oseni stressed that defeating terrorism and banditry requires strong, community-oriented policing grounded in mutual trust. Ending administrative extortion at police stations will unlock the vast potential of community intelligence, strengthen law enforcement, and safeguard Nigeria's peace, economic stability, and prosperity. He urged the government to take urgent action to address this issue and rebuild public confidence in law enforcement.
The Nigerian Police Force has faced criticism for its handling of crime reports, with many citizens expressing skepticism about the police's ability to effectively address security challenges. The Abia State Police Command recently confirmed the arrest of a suspect in a violent attack on a 14-year-old, but open-source reports indicate that Nigerians are skeptical of the command's statement.
Key points
- The Nigerian government has been urged to take action against police extortion.
- Extortion at police stations erodes public trust in law enforcement.
- Ending extortion will strengthen community-oriented policing and national security.
