Adenitan Akinola

There was palpable tension on Thursday evening along Ido-Osun road, Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State when some travelers protested extortion by some policemen from the state police command.

The protesters accused the armed policemen of standing in the middle of the road and extorting travelers.

Upon sighting the convoy of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Adewale Egbedun, the aggrieved persons stopped the convoy and reported the illegal activities of the policemen to the head of the state parliament.

In a video obtained by Radio Nigeria on Friday, Mr Egbedun, in company of other concerned residents, were seen chasing the cops as they ran into bush.

The Speaker was heard condemning the act by the policemen.

In the trending video, Mr Egbedun and other concerned citizens could be seen telling the policemen to refund the money transferred into their account.

A statement issued on Friday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr Olamide Tiamiyu, disclosed that the Speaker ensured that the sum of N75, 000 extorted from some youths who were identified as traditional worshipers going for the ongoing Osun-Osogbo festival, were refunded by the policemen.

It reads, “Rt. Hon. Egbedun was returning from a trip to Ayedire Local Government when some distressed citizens flagged his vehicle to complain on the illicit activities of the men of the police force for intervention.

“The victims, who were traveling for the Osun Osogbo festival scheduled for tomorrow, narrated their ordeal in the hands of the officers. They added that the policemen, who refused all pleas to allow them go on their journey, eventually forced the three among them to make a transfer of N25, 000 each.

“When approached to hear their sides of the story, the leader of the police team confirmed to the Speaker that they collected the quoted amount from the three commuters and pleaded for forgiveness.

Meanwhile, the Osun State Police Command has reacted to the development.

In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Mrs Yemisi Opalola, the police said the officers concerned had been arrested and currently being detained.

 Mrs Opalola stated that they would go through orderly room trial for appropriate disciplinary measure in lines with rules and regulations of the Nigeria Police Force.

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