₦airaland Forum

PoliceVictim:
I've always known about the dangers known as Policemen in Nigeria, notwithstanding, I have always lived by the principle of minding my own business and respecting the Police, hoping to never cross paths with them for as long as I live, but today, I had a new experience, one I never wished for.

I am a school teacher who earns a meager 40k per month, I have a family of my own, my wife and my kid, we struggle to stay afloat, to live in our own world, minding our own business, I also have a car, not for luxury, but for convenience, and for hustling during holidays and in times when we have so much, I know this is not important, but I need you to understand how pathetic a person can be, yet still be bullied by members of the Nigerian Police.

I was driving past the popular Rumuokoro round about in Port-Harcourt with a friend and his fiancé, traffic was bad so all cars were somewhat at a standstill. All of a sudden, a man in mufti started hitting my windows hard, he had a walkie-talkie so I assumed he would definitely be a force man.

I wound down my window and tried to hear him out, he had nothing to say more than that I had switched lanes, he ordered my friend out of the car, and two of his colleagues came in. All the while I remained calm.

He started off by saying we should go to the station, I knew what that meant, I may try as much to avoid the police, I may not know much about them, but I took the advise of an Afro-Russian friend who once said


Whatever you do , never get taken back to their police station. Bribe fast. Your problems just tripled on arrival to the station. A guy I know was accused of kidnapping the arresting officer.

The policeman took my license, checked my house address, and also asked me what I do for a living. He furthermore stated that u had committed a traffic offence by switching lanes in holdup and will be fined N46,000. He also stated I will have to undergo a psychiatric test worth N10,000 and will also pay demurrage of N1,500 for every night my car is at the station.

Next, he asked for my phone, I gave it to him, all these were happening while we were driving towards the station. He went to my sms and checked my account balance, then he saw that all I had was N10,000. He started wailing that it’s not even enough for my offence.

His friends at the back started to plead with him to manage the N10,000 like that, that was when I angrily blurted out. una no go school or una no know wetin be minimum balance, how can you withdraw all” what about my family? Do you know what today’s date is? How do I feed them?”

The officer directed me to make a u-turn back again to rumuokoro where we had quite a number of banks. I was then told to park, hand over my keys and make a withdrawal of N5,000, i told him i wouldnt be able to go past 4,000 no matter what.

I didn’t even have my card with me so I called my dislodged friend to allow me withdraw from his account. He had N1,500 cash with him, with which he pleaded but they refused because they had seen my account. My pitiable account with just N10,000.

I did as instructed, but I only withdrew N4,000 from his account. I refused to take much more loan than I would be able to pay back once I got home. I wouldn’t risk any more because I need to be able to take care of my family.

The moment I gave the N4,000 to the ring leader, he started yelling, he told my friend to add N1,000 from the N1,500 cash he had, but my friend refused. He changed his mind and said we should go to the station, I was ready. I told him I no longer had a problem with that, at this moment, I knew he would seize my car at the station, but with the power of Nigerians on the media, my innocence will be proven.

I started the car, about to head towards the station, then he finally collected the money, and walked away.

He took 45% of everything I had in my account, I don’t know if I regretted being a Nigerian today, but I know that for a split second, I gave up.

I know he saw my house address, and I know he also saw my school i.d which I use where I work. I know that he can find me, and I know the risk I am taking with this post, but then, let it be known that the men in these pictures are not qualified to represent the Nigerian Police.

It is more saddening that while these men merry at a peppersoup joint, I'd have to cut up quite a number of items, and probably have my baby hold on with soaked diapers, in order to conserve what's left and hang on till the next pay day.

PoliceVictim:
lalasticlala

tellwisdom:
Na becos of 4 tasa u write this kain epistle? Are you poor??

NwaAmaikpe:


I admire your decent writing skills...that's a rarity in recent times.
I truly empathize with your misfortune and it gets even emotional thinking about the implication of their actions on your innocent baby whose only crime was being born to an intelligent father who was too timid to stand his ground and say NO to bribing policemen.

tellwisdom:
Na becos of 4 tasa u write this kain epistle? Are you poor??

Bibors:
Can't believe a human typed this.
Ohh, maybe na computer

PoliceVictim:
Well, i decided to handle it this way. Are you in Nigeria? I'm not sure you've had an encounter with the police.



Maybe poor? but i have what lots of rich people dont have. I have enough


well, i felt really pained.

What is it? Timidness, slow, fear, fast to giving out bribe....Ogbeni na writing skills u get jere

grayht:
lalasticlacla.. kindly do the needful..
Mynd44



Thanks

tellwisdom:
What is it? Timidness, slow, fear, fast to giving out bribe....Ogbeni na writing skills u get jere

deepwater:
op i am sorry.


Three people you hope not to encounter in a day:
1. NwaAmaikpe
2. TellWisdom
3. Nigerian Police


Seun, Lalasticlala, we have a case here

PoliceVictim:
i've gone past the pain