A prominent legal practitioner, Professor Yemi Oke (SAN), has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over the alleged extortion of N151.5 million from a Nigerian residing abroad, Segun Okubajo.
In a letter dated recently and submitted on behalf of the victim’s father, Mr. Kehinde Okubajo, the Senior Advocate accused four officers of the Nigeria Police Force of abducting Segun from his Lagos apartment and illegally transporting him to Abuja in October 2024.
The petition describes a harrowing ordeal in which Segun was allegedly arrested without any criminal complaint, forcibly taken in leg chains and handcuffs, and held incommunicado at the Force CID headquarters in Abuja.
According to Prof. Oke, the operatives—whose names were listed in the petition—stormed Segun’s residence wielding heavy arms, disabled surveillance systems, and confiscated his mobile devices before whisking him away.
The lawyer alleged that the officers acted in collusion with two civilians who specialize in falsely accusing Nigerians returning from the diaspora for the purpose of extortion.
“The duo capitalised on Segun’s brief visit to Nigeria to orchestrate a baseless accusation in collaboration with the police officers,” the petition stated.
Initially demanding N1 billion for his release, the officers reportedly pressured the family to negotiate a lower figure.
The family, desperate to save Segun, was said to have raised N151.5 million through loans and contributions from friends and cooperative groups.
“After paying the amount, Segun fled the country and has since lived under persistent threats to his life and that of his family,” the petition added.
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Prof. Oke accused the implicated officers of sending threats to discourage the family from seeking legal redress or exposing their actions, even after an earlier petition was submitted in November 2024.
In the latest correspondence, the senior lawyer called on the IGP to take swift and decisive action. Among the demands made are:
A thorough investigation into the allegations.
Immediate refund of the extorted N151.5 million.
Disciplinary sanctions against the identified officers.
Concrete measures to ensure the safety of the Okubajo family and prevent future harassment.
The petition warns that failure to act within 14 days would force the legal team to pursue other means of redress.
“We trust that your office will treat this with the urgency and seriousness it demands, in line with your no-nonsense leadership,” the petition concluded.
As of press time, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official response to the petition.