Lagos Electrician Narrates How Police Detained Him For Four Days Over Alleged Theft, Extorted N45,000 After Phone Was Found

ALagos-based electrician, Sunday Moses Olugbemi, has narrated how he was allegedly arrested and detained for four days over a mobile phone theft allegation, before police officers demanded ₦45,000 for his release after the phone was reportedly found.

Olugbemi, who spoke in a video obtained by SaharaReporters on Sunday morning, said he was arrested shortly after completing electrical work at the residence of a police officer popularly known as “Pastor.”

According to him, he was introduced to the man because of his experience as an electrician and was engaged to complete electrical work at the residence.

Olugbemi said he stayed at the residence for about five days to ensure that the job was completed.

He explained that the officer’s wife, identified as Mrs Oluremi, returned from London while he was working on the project and expressed satisfaction with his work.

He said the woman told him that another person previously hired for the job had collected money but failed to complete the work.

Olugbemi said he completed the electrical work on a Friday and informed Mrs Oluremi that he was preparing to leave.

He alleged that she immediately contacted her husband, who assured him that he would receive payment for the job before he got home.

According to him, he left the residence at about 2pm and returned home to spend time with his family.

He said police officers, however, arrived at his home around 8pm and arrested him over an allegation that he had stolen a mobile phone.

“They said they were looking for a phone. I told them that I did not take any phone, but they said that when I got to the station, I would confess,” he recounted.

According to Olugbemi, he was taken to a police station where he remained in custody for four days.

“They took me to the Agonyi Police Station and locked me up for four days for a crime I did not commit,” he alleged.

He said officers eventually informed him that the missing phone had been found and asked him to contact his wife to arrange his release.

“On the fourth day, they asked me to call my wife to come and bail me out. They told me that they had found the phone already,” he said.

Olugbemi alleged that his wife was subsequently told to pay ₦45,000 before he could be released.

“My wife asked them how much they wanted, and they said ₦45,000. My wife gave them the money, and they released me,” he said.

He alleged that the money was collected by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO).

The electrician said the incident caused him significant hardship, particularly because he had been detained over an allegation he said was disproved by the recovery of the phone.

“I am appealing to Nigerians to help me. I suffered for a crime I did not commit, and I still had to use the money I was supposed to receive for the work I did to secure my release,” he said.

SaharaReporters previously reported that Olugbemi accused the police of detaining him for four days and demanding ₦45,000 before his release.

The case was brought to the attention of the Take It Back Movement, whose Lagos State Coordinator, Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek, condemned the alleged detention and extortion.

Taofeek said the movement was prepared to seek legal redress over the incident, describing the alleged demand for money as unacceptable.

He also called for compensation for Olugbemi and disciplinary and legal action against any police officers found culpable.