The Area M Police Command in Lagos State has come under scrutiny following allegations of abuse of power and extortion involving four police officers, with victims reportedly forced to pay a total of N700,000 for their release. The officers, identified as Inspector Taiwo, CSP Salako, Sade and Corporal Odunayo Omosule, allegedly arrested two men on separate occasions in 2025 and demanded cash payments in exchange for their freedom.
According to reports, Emeka Godwin was arrested on August 4, 2025, and accused of cultism, after which the officers allegedly collected N500,000 in cash to release him at midnight. His friend, Daniel Okenla, was said to have withdrawn the money from a POS merchant, incurring additional charges, before paying it at the station. In a similar incident, Chijioke Ede was arrested on October 17, 2025, without any stated allegation and allegedly paid N200,000 the following day to secure his release. Okenla later told the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) that he travelled to Abuja to submit a petition to the office of the Force Public Relations Officer and the head of the Complaint Response Unit over the incidents.