Lagos-based content creator and singer Henry Deekor has accused the Rivers State Police Command’s ‘Octopus Strike Force’ of extorting ₦150,000 from him at a bushy checkpoint while he was traveling to a funeral in Port Harcourt.
Lagos-based singer and vocal coach Henry Deekor has detailed a harrowing encounter with the Octopus Strike Force, a tactical unit of the Rivers State Police Command, which allegedly extorted ₦150,000 from him on Friday, March 20, 2026. Deekor, who had traveled to Port Harcourt for the funeral of a friend’s father in Bdere village, was intercepted by approximately six officers while riding a motorcycle through a remote, bushy path. Despite appearing in somber black attire for the burial, Deekor was pulled aside at a “stop and search” location and led away from the main road into a secluded area for interrogation.
During the encounter, the officers reportedly searched Deekor’s bag and found nothing incriminating. When he identified himself as a content creator and musician—providing his Instagram profile as evidence—one officer allegedly claimed he was being “profiled” based on his appearance. The officer reportedly asserted they were “trained by the EFCC about fraud” and suspected him of being a fraudster despite a lack of evidence. Deekor was subsequently locked inside a Sienna vehicle on the orders of a senior officer, who threatened that he would either have to “settle” the team with cash or be taken to their headquarters in Port Harcourt to face incarceration.
Under the duress of being detained in the vehicle and facing the threat of a prolonged stay behind bars, Deekor was allegedly forced to part with ₦150,000 to secure his release. The incident highlights a recurring pattern of “profiling” by tactical units, where creative professionals are often targeted based on their fashion choices or digital occupations. As of Saturday, the Rivers State Police Command has yet to issue an official response to the allegations, though the victim has provided a detailed account of the location and vehicle used during the shakedown to the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).
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