The suspects who were arrested at multiple locations, including Inter-Bau Roundabout, Direct Labour Agency (DLA) Road and other areas of the state capital had accused the command of extortion before granting them bail.
The Delta State Police Command has rearrested and detained one of the worshippers randomly arrested on New Year's Eve crossover night in Asaba, SaharaReporters has learnt.
Police officers from the command, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Adejobi Olumuyiwa, had on New Year’s Eve carried out random arrests of more than 40 persons, most of whom were worshippers attending crossover night church services in different parts of Asaba.
The suspects who were arrested at multiple locations, including Inter-Bau Roundabout, Direct Labour Agency (DLA) Road and other areas of the state capital had accused the command of extortion before granting them bail.
Police sources who spoke with SaharaReporters had disclosed that after the arrests, the suspects were handed over by the DCP Operations, Adejobi Olumuyiwa, to the Commander of the Eagle Net unit, CSP Inusa Gwaza.
In a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the command had described the arrested persons as “hoodlums,” alleging that they engaged in violent conduct, attacked police officers, knocked down commuters and threw fireworks at members of the public.
However, SaharaReporters gathered that several of those arrested were either on their way to crossover night church services or returning from worship when they were picked up by the police and taken to the state police command, where they were allegedly framed.
Some of the suspects, who were later granted bail, had told SaharaReporters that they were extorted of sums ranging between ₦150,000 and ₦200,000 before being released.
One of the suspects, a staff member of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) who was granted bail on self-recognition and requested anonymity, described the experience as a reflection of what he called deep-rooted corruption within the Nigeria Police Force.
Meanwhile, it was reliably gathered that shortly after the story of the extortion was published by SaharaReporters, one of the released suspects and staff of the Delta State fire service, named Benjamin Eboka, was tricked on Monday to come and collect his impounded vehcile at the command where he was accused of exposing the bail extortion to the media.
"As Ben got to the command Monday, he was rearrested and detained that he was the one who allegedly exposed the N150,000 and N200,000 extorted from the suspects to grant them bail. Even when Ben defended himself, that he knows nothing about such publication, the police rearrested him and detained him in cell. As we talk, he's still at the detention at the police headquarters. We heard his invitation to the command where he was rearrested and detained was ordered by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Adejobi Olumuyiwa.
"On that New Year's Eve crossover night, Benjamin Eboka was randomly arrested alongside his two friends, Godspower Udoh and Michael Onochie while driving to a crossover night church service at Direct Labour Agency (DLA) Road in Asaba. Ben did not talk to any journalist concerning his arrest.
"It's possible friends and relatives of his friends that were arrested with him may have exposed the police extortion. We are calling on the new Commissioner of Police to call Olumuyiwa and his men to order and release Benjamin Eboka unconditionally. I am not just happy with the manner police extort, intimidate and frame innocent citizens up all because of money," our source lamented.
As of the time of filing this report, Eboka has not been released from detention.