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A harrowing tale of extortion and harassment has emerged from a passenger who traveled from Abuja to Delta State on July 19, 2024. The passenger, who wishes to remain anonymous, recounted how an armed police officer, clad in a “Special Force” vest, contravened orders from successive Inspector-Generals of Police by searching citizens’ phones without a warrant.

The ordeal began when the Delta Line bus, a commercial vehicle belonging to Delta State Government, en route to Asaba, stopped at a checkpoint within Delta State territory.

The armed officer, whose identity remains unknown, approached the driver’s side window and demanded to know what a young passenger was doing with his phone. The passenger, who was playing a game, was ordered to alight from the vehicle, even when he showed the officer the game he was playing, and made to surrender his phone and school bag.

“I was shocked and scared,” the passenger said. “The officer started searching my phone and bag without any reason or warrant. The driver tried to intervene, but the officer ordered him to leave.”

The situation escalated when the officer seized the driver’s license and demanded a document for the vehicle. The driver explained that the vehicle belonged to the Delta State Government, but the officer refused to release the license or the passenger.

Other passengers, including a journalist, alighted from the bus to inquire about the commotion. The officer refused to reason with them, claiming that his gun was his identification when asked to identify himself by the passengers.

“The journalist tried to call the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Delta State, but the officer refused to speak with him,” the passenger recounted. “He even accused the PPROs of making it difficult for them to do their job because citizens have their numbers and call them.”

The standoff continued until the PPRO called back and instructed the passengers to leave. However, the officer still refused to release the driver’s license, threatening to break their phones if they attempted to take a photo or record him.

“This experience was traumatic,” the passenger said. “The officer’s actions were a clear violation of our rights, and it’s unacceptable that he was able to get away with it.”

The incident highlights the ongoing struggle with police harassment and extortion on Nigerian highways, despite repeated orders from the Inspector-General of Police to desist from such practices.