How Orile Police Division, Lagos, Kidnapped My Friend And I — By Caleb Okechukwu

How Orile Police Division, Lagos, Kidnapped My Friend And I — By Caleb Okechukwu

A disturbing allegation has surfaced against operatives of the Orile Police Division in Lagos State, as a young man, identified as Caleb Okechukwu, has accused officers attached to the station of abducting him and his friend in a shocking incident that raises fresh questions about police misconduct and abuse of power in Nigeria.

In a detailed account shared with journalists, Okechukwu narrated how he and his friend were allegedly kidnapped by uniformed police officers, taken to an undisclosed location, and extorted under threats of detention and physical harm. According to him, the officers acted outside the bounds of the law, leaving their victims traumatized and demanding justice.

> “It was around 8:00 p.m.  on the 2nd of November 2025 when my friend and I were returning home from work,” Okechukwu recounted. “We were stopped by some men in a police vehicle near the Orile bus stop. At first, we thought it was a normal security check until they ordered us to get into their van without any explanation. They seized our phones immediately and started driving off.”

He explained that the officers did not allow them to contact their families or identify themselves. “We kept asking what we had done wrong, but they told us to ‘keep quiet or face trouble.’ They took us to a dark area, not the police station, and began demanding money,” he said.

According to Okechukwu, the men, believed to be policemen attached to the Orile Division, allegedly threatened to detain them overnight and charge them with robbery if they failed to pay a huge sum. “They said if we wanted to go home, we should ‘settle them’ immediately. My friend was forced to transfer money to one of their accounts. After that, they dropped us off around Coker Bridge and drove away,” he stated.

The victim described the ordeal as “a horrifying experience” that felt like a kidnap operation disguised as police duty, adding that their lives were put at risk in the process.

“I could not believe that these were real policemen. The way they operated — seizing our phones, blindfolding us with our shirts, and driving off without identifying themselves — it felt like a kidnap,” Okechukwu said emotionally. “We were helpless, scared, and unsure if we would make it home alive.”

He called on the Lagos State Police Command and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to justice. “I have reported the incident to the appropriate authorities, and I want the public to know that things like this are still happening. No one should be made to live in fear of the same police who are supposed to protect us,” he added.

Civil rights activists have also condemned the alleged act, describing it as a gross abuse of human rights and a sign that more reforms are needed within the Nigerian Police Force.

Reacting to the incident, a human rights lawyer, Barrister Olumide Johnson, said: “This kind of behavior by officers, if proven true, amounts to criminal abduction and extortion. It is unacceptable that citizens continue to face terror from those meant to uphold the law. The Lagos State Police Command must ensure that this case does not end up being swept under the carpet.”

The incident has sparked renewed outrage on social media, with many Nigerians calling for a thorough investigation into the Orile Division and the officers involved.