Rights group alleges ₦7,000 extortion at Edo Police division

Aduwawa, Edo – A prominent Nigerian rights organization has accused officers at the Aduwawa Divisional Police Headquarters of unlawfully extorting ₦7,000 from a citizen who attempted to report a criminal case.

According to the allegation, the complainant was forced to pay ₦1,000 at the counter simply to lodge the report, another ₦3,000 to open a case file, and a further ₦3,000 described as a “service charge.”

The total sum of ₦7,000 was allegedly collected before any police action was taken.

In a strongly worded statement made available to DAILY South Nigeria, Justice Oni-Edigin, Coordinator of the Bail is Free Campaign Organization, described the demands as “unlawful and a clear abuse of office.”

He emphasized that no provision in Nigerian law authorizes police officers to charge citizens for filing complaints or delivering basic policing services.

“Such actions constitute a clear abuse of office,” the statement reads, noting “There is no legal provision that authorizes officers of the Nigeria Police Force to demand or collect money for filing complaints or providing basic policing services to citizens.”

The group claims the practice is becoming increasingly common across police divisions and commands in Edo State, warning that it erodes public confidence, discourages crime reporting, and undermines the integrity of law enforcement institutions.

The Bail is Free Campaign Organization, known for its sustained advocacy against police extortion and illegal bail demands, issued a series of demands to the authorities, amongst which are the immediate and transparent investigation into the allegation, identification and appropriate sanctioning of all officers involved, full refund of the ₦7,000 illegally collected from the complainant and a strong directives from police leadership to immediately halt such illegal charges across all commands in Edo State and beyond.

The statement concludes with a firm declaration: “Justice must not be commercialized. Nigerians have the right to access police services without unlawful financial demands.”

This latest complaint comes amid heightened scrutiny of policing practices in Edo State.

In recent weeks, the Edo State Police Command announced the dismantling of an extortion syndicate operating along the Teboga axis off Aduwawa, involving both serving and dismissed officers accused of abducting and extorting citizens. Several suspects have been arrested and are facing prosecution.

The Bail is Free Campaign Organization has repeatedly petitioned police authorities and documented similar cases across various divisions in Benin City, positioning itself as a watchdog against what it describes as the commercialization of police services.

As of the time of this report, the Edo State Police Command has not issued an official response to the specific Aduwawa allegation.