Special Anti-Robbery Squad threaten man with AK47 rifle

• force him to withdraw  N140,000 at ATM point

By IFEOMA Ikem

Four Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), attached to Area K Badagry have been arrested for using AK 47 rifle to force a helpless man, (name withheld) to the bank and compelled him to withdraw N140,000.

National Daily gathered that the officers identified as two Inspectors, Pativon Patrick, Owolabi Oke and two Sergeants Momoh Jimoh and Akinmade Kehinde respectively threatened to kill the victim if he refused to give them N500,000.

The incident, which happened about two weeks ago about 10pm at Agbara branch of UBA ATM, along Badagry Expressway, Lagos, culminated to their arrest after a report was made by the victim.

Trouble started for the man as he was trapped in traffic gridlock while  driving home late in the night of incident with his father car. He met the officers along the expressway who were busy stopping vehicles for search.

National Daily reliably gathered that the police officers stopped the victim and labeled him an armed robbery suspect and threatened to kill him. They allegedly threatened to tag him as an armed robber that has been terrorizing the Badagry expressway.

The victim pleaded with them to spare his life claiming he was not an armed robber. He explained that the traffic delayed him.

To extricate himself from their trap, he offered them everything that he had on him including the car rather than labelling him armed robber.

They defied every appeal he made to be left off. However, it was gathered that the police officer eventually dragged him to their office at Area K Command, where they told him that he would only be alive if he could provide N500.000, or risk been killed.

Conflicted, he pleaded he had only only N140.000 which was in his account; which he could withdraw with his ATM card.

Unsatisfied with the amount, they however marched him to Agbara  UBA ATM branch that night with their guns to withdrew the money. However, after they had collected the money, they still detained him at Area K Command till the following day.

Unfortunately, the account he withdrew the money to buy off his life belonged to his father who received many alerts as they made the withdrawals.

It was further learnt that at dawn, having had several alerts from his account, the parents started looking for him to know exactly what happened so that they could report to the police.

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Fortunately, the parents were said to have traced their son to Area Commander’s office where they were informed that he was arrested on his way back home the previous night.

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When they inquired to know the offence he committed that got him into detention at the Area Command, the attention of the Commander was drawn, who was still in the office then hence she quickly stepped in the matter.

The Area Commander was said to have called both parties to a round table and listened to what had transpired. Having ascertained they collected money from the victim, the Area Commander demanded for the money from his men and handed it back to the victim’s parents.

Unhappy with the disgrace they hoisted on the police force, immediately ordered the arrest of the four police officers. Having obtained statement from them, transferred them to the X-Squad for necessary action.

The officers are currently being detained at the State Police Command, Ikeja where they are facing Orderly Room trial at State Police Command.