Calabar Residents and Drivers Accuse Police of Extortion, Police Deny Claims

Residents and drivers in Calabar, Cross River State, are accusing Nigeria Police Force officers of extortion at a checkpoint near the Post Office complex, which they say is linked to the Atakpa Police Station.

In a chat with The PUNCH on Tuesday in Calabar, they claimed that officers block the road every evening and collect between N200 and N500 from taxi and commercial bus drivers heading to the busy Watt Market.

Some drivers, who asked to remain anonymous, said this collection has become a daily habit, especially during rush hours when many people go to Watt Market to shop. Other drivers face public harassment if they refuse to pay.

"They block the road every evening. If you don’t pay N200 or N500, they will delay you or threaten to impound your vehicle," a taxi driver said.

"It is worse for commercial buses going to Watt. They target us because they know we must carry people going back to Calabar South LGA. And they do this every evening. They show no conscience, especially with the hardship in this country," he added.

Another motorist, Effiom Effiong, said this practice has raised transportation costs since drivers now add the "settlements" to passenger fares. He criticized the situation, saying the checkpoint causes unnecessary traffic and harasses commuters.

"The road is blocked every evening. It creates hold-up and the officers only care about collecting money, not about security," Effiong said.

Emmanuel Bassey, a local resident, described the checkpoint as a place of extortion and called the police officers "selfish and greedy."

"These police officers lack conscience. If they had conscience, they would know that life is hard already and should not add more burden on the masses. They extort money from drivers every day. This is the highest form of greed. May God help us in Calabar," Bassey lamented.

Drivers and commuters are urging the police leadership to remove the checkpoint or send officers who will focus on crime prevention instead of collecting money.

These accusations come after repeated warnings from the Cross River State Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo-Geoffrey Ordue, about extortion and unprofessional behavior by officers.

When asked for comment, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, said the command does not accept extortion and encouraged the public to report any officer involved if they have evidence like patrol vehicle number, time, and location of the incident.

He stated, "The command does not tolerate any form of extortion by members of the Nigeria Police Force in Cross River State. Members of the public who have credible information to help us locate or identify any officer engaging in extortion should report to us through the Police Complaint Response line.

"We are committed to due process and professionalism. Any officer caught extorting the public will face disciplinary action," he said.

The police spokesman also advised residents and drivers to use official channels for complaints to ensure prompt investigations. He described the state Commissioner of Police as a "principled man with discipline."

"The State Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo-Geoffrey Ordue, is a very disciplined man, and part of his policy focuses on discipline and professional conduct from our officers.

"No one should give any officer money. If an officer stops you and asks for money, just call the Complaint Response unit at [+234 813 708 3052]," ASP Sunday Eitokpah added.