From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
There was a mild drama at the Zone 16 headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force when the victim of the three-million-naira Police extortion by Policemen at Odi, Kolokuma/ Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Liberty Kelechi Isaac refused to collect cash and also declined the offer of a Police escort to Owerri.
Zone 16 of the Nigeria Police Force which had earlier arrested three officers involved in the incident and taken them to Abuja informed Liberty that the money had been recovered but it would be released to him after clearance from the Force Headquarters.
Liberty was called on Friday to report at the Zone 16 headquarters at Isaac Boro Express Road to collect the recovered money.
However, there was mild drama when after signing the necessary papers, Liberty refused to leave the office and travel to Owerri, the Imo State capital with the N3million cash. Efforts by the Police hierarchy to assure him of his safety and even offer him an escort team were turned as he insisted, he wouldn’t travel with such huge cash.
“Yes, after signing the necessary papers I refuse to travel with the cash. I consider it too risky. The Police offered me an escort team and I declined. It was too late for me to look for an FCMB bank, so I told them I wanted a transfer. So, there was a POS operator known to the Police who was called and she offered to take the cash. She counted it, confirmed it, and sent the money to my account,’’ he said.
Liberty said he would be following the case to know when the officers would face punishment by the Police and when they would be charged in court.
