Lagos commercial motorcyclists accuse Amukoko police officers of extortion and unlawful seizure of motorcycles.
Human rights group urges investigation as riders recount paying large sums to recover their bikes.
Several commercial motorcycle riders in Lagos State have accused policemen attached to the Amukoko Divisional Headquarters of extortion and unlawful seizure of their motorcycles.
In three separate petitions filed through the iRelief Committee for Human Rights and Civic Engagements to the state Commissioner of Police, the riders alleged that officers demanded between ₦20,000 and ₦100,000 to release their seized motorcycles.
One of the petitioners, painter Odutayo Waris, said he was stopped at a bus stop around 11:30 p.m. on August 29, 2025, while heading to a vigil at Safejo. According to him, he was detained overnight without explanation and later forced to pay ₦40,000 before being released the next day. He stated that his mother paid ₦20,000 in cash to a policeman identified as Okunade Oludayo, while another ₦20,000 was transferred via a Point of Sale agent.
When contacted, Oludayo denied involvement, saying he did not know Waris and was not part of the arrest. He added that arrests in the area are usually carried out by task force teams acting on directives.
Two other riders, Shazali Ibrahim and Umar Husaini, also alleged that their motorcycles were impounded on August 27 and 28 respectively. Ibrahim claimed his bike was taken at Mosafejo Bus Stop, Amukoko, and that he paid ₦50,000 at the station to retrieve it. Policeman Ishaku Babaji, named in the petition, denied knowledge of any such payment and referred questions to the Divisional Police Officer or the state Public Relations Officer.
In another case, Husaini alleged that his motorcycle was seized by an officer named Augustine Ada shortly before 10 p.m. over an alleged curfew violation. Ada, however, rejected the claim, insisting the seizure took place after 10:30 p.m. and that the incident was recorded and reported to headquarters.
The Secretary General of the iRelief Committee, Momoh Raimi, urged the state police authorities to investigate the allegations.
When contacted, state Police Command spokesperson Abimbola Adebisi said she was unaware of the petitions but promised to reach out to her deputy for clarification.
