How SARS Officers Mounted Toll Point to Extort Applicants Near American Embassy in Lagos – Victim

Ololade Adeyanju/

A banker has recounted his traumatic experience in the hands of operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) who allegedly accosted him near the American Embassy in Lagos and forced him to pay N35,000 at gunpoint for no just cause.

The victim, who goes by the Twitter name, Mistayemi, narrated his experience in a series of tweets on the handle, @anapz10.

According to him, he was on his way to the American Embassy on Walter Carrington Drive, Victoria Island for an appointment last Monday, when he was stopped by three SARS operatives.

He said they asked him to identify himself and upon learning that he had appointment at the embassy in less than 30 minutes, they threatened to ensure that he missed the appointment except he agreed to bribe them.

He said they initially asked him to bribe them with N200,000 but later agreed to take N35,000 and gave him a bank account to transfer the money to.

The victim said the Access Bank account with the number: 0763903325, belongs to one Blessing Macklon and also posted the transaction details.

Read the victim’s full account below:

“I wonder if there is still any hope for this country, I got my own share of the SARS intimidation & arrazement last week Mon. June10. Close to d front of d US embassy@ VI, Lagos.

“I came down from d keke, as I was making my way into d embassy, I was stopped and accosted by 3 SARS guys, they asked me ‘who are u’ and i identified myself through my work id card I was carrying & I explained to them I have an appointment at d us embassy in the next 27mins. Suddenly one of them shouted ‘we would delay u and make u miss ur appointment if u don’t cooperate….

“At this point i was confused, like how else am I suppose to respond or cooperate? The same guy that shouted came close to me and snatched my folder containing my docs n dragged me into their van. I was still shocked n surprised.. So they drove to nearby police post….

“I kept reminding them I can’t afford to miss my appointment which is in like 10mins, the SARS guys knowing how important my appointment is held on to my docs & said they won’t release it to me until I settle them with #200,000 @ this point I was speechless and in more shock….

“I kept checking my time n reminding them abt my appointment. To cut d story short..1 of them called me aside n said he knows how important this my appointment is that I shld not jeopardise my chance @ d embassy, he said ‘how much u get’, told him I only have 2k cash with me…

“For d sake of my appointment @ the embassy I was made to make a fund transfer of #35,000 into one of them.. Name: Blessing Macklon. Access bank. 0763903325 before my docs were released to me, I got back to d embassy late but was still able to meet up…

“This is not d Nigeria of our dream..this is not d Nigeria we all hope to boast of… I won’t rest until I get down this person I av d details. I work in a bank..that’s y I was able to dig up more details. The recipient of the #35,000 is a female and d details are below…..”

Meanwhile, police authorities said they had commenced an investigation into the incident.

Responding to the victim’s post, the Complaint Response Unit (CRU) of the police tweeted earlier today: “Your complaint is hereby acknowledged and investigation initiated. Forward your contact number via DM for further action please.

“Tracking number will be sent shortly.”

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