Beware! Police are your ‘Enemy’

Segun Awosanya/

The general public should be aware that there are newer schemes deployed at incriminating innocent citizens now. The first is targeting those who buy second hand mobile devices, while the second is random credit of accounts.

Let’s say you bought an alleged “LONDON used” phone. Then weeks after you were on your way home when some officers demand that you follow them. On getting to the station they show you a case file that the phone you have with you was one of the stolen items in an armed robbery that cost another citizen their car and other belongings.

The Police by default owing to their activation and inducement with the cash of the complainant will end their investigation with you with the claim that you alone can help them resolve the case by providing the seller of the phone.

Now for those who buy phones in traffic, you may end up being sentenced for armed robbery without the option of fine or be given an option you may never be able to afford in this economy. For those who are lucky enough to provide a proof of purchase and the seller, you will still pay heavily for being impari delincto (meaning partners in illegality).

In most of the cases we have intervened in, running into 100 now if not more, Police will insist on charging the case to court once they realize they can not make money from it. With the corruption of the judiciary on armed robbery cases, you may end up spending more days in detention than necessary.

As published, many young Nigerians have been tortured to death by police during these alleged stolen phones investigations. Mostly between the ages of 20-23. Women not excluded. So be careful out there.

If the issue is with cheaper smartphones with good camera that works with modern day apps, we will soon have an alternative out there that won’t involve you having a police case or losing your freedom. I will announce this soon and we all can curb the patronage of phone thieves.

Secondly, there’s been a growing rise in random credits of accounts.

Investigation is ongoing on the source of this format. A lady went to the bank to withdraw N10k (N10,000) of her N12,500 balance, only to hear that her account was blocked. Upon enquiry, she was told authorities did this (because) her account was used to make fraudulent transactions.

The lady in question never got an alert (and) neither used her account for any such. She was picked up by police and detained without considering getting her a representation. The bike man that brought her waited in vain.

In the past days, a few followers have been showing me alerts that they received deposited N1k (N1000), only to get a N400k (N400,000) Credit Alert. If you have gotten a similar experience please report this immediately to your account manager and get a document that proves this.

You can also file a report in a police station near you about the incident for your sanity sake. When the order to block your account comes, they won’t follow due process and these precautions will come in handy before you are summarily deemed a fraud and jailed arbitrarily.

Be safe out there and remember to report any incident of police impunity, incrimination, harassment, abduction, extortion and indiscriminate illegal phone searches to @PoliceNG_PCRRU @citizen_gavel and possibly this handle via DM or call the numbers on the flier. #ReformPoliceNG

*Awosanya, convener of EndSARS campaign, posted this thread on Twitter on the handle, @segalink.

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