The report detailed how police operatives arrested more than 40 persons, many of them churchgoers attending crossover night services across Asaba.
The Delta State Police Command has been accused of harassment, intimidation, extortion and the rearrest of innocent worshippers following a SaharaReporters report that exposed illegal and arbitrary arrests carried out on New Year’s Eve in Asaba.
"The police authorities in Delta State Command, specifically at the state capital are arbitrarily arresting people, to the extent of picking up an innocent person on Wednesday while demanding he produces a journalist, Linus, who they believed filed the report in question," a source told SaharaReporters.
“Because of the publication, police went and arrested an innocent young boy yesterday, saying he must produce the man who went and involved journalists in the matter.”
The controversy followed a Monday, January 5, 2025 SaharaReporters report titled: “From Church To Cell: Worshippers Allege Random Arrests On Crossover Night, Assault, N200,000 Extortion By Delta Police.”
The report detailed how police operatives arrested more than 40 persons, many of them churchgoers attending crossover night services across Asaba.
According to SaharaReporters’ findings, the arrests took place at multiple locations, including Inter-Bau Roundabout, Direct Labour Agency (DLA) Road and other parts of the state capital. Police officers involved in the operation were said to be led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Adejobi Olumuyiwa.
Police sources disclosed that those arrested were later handed over by DCP Olumuyiwa to the Commander of the Eagle Net unit, CSP Inusa Gwaza. Several of the detainees alleged that they were extorted sums ranging from ₦150,000 to ₦200,000 before being granted bail.
In a statement issued at the time, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, described the arrested persons as “hoodlums,” claiming they engaged in violent conduct, attacked police officers, knocked down commuters and threw fireworks at members of the public.
However, SaharaReporters gathered that many of those arrested were either on their way to crossover night church services or returning from worship when they were picked up and taken to the state police headquarters, where they were allegedly framed.
One of the suspects, a staff member of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) who was later granted bail on self-recognizance, described the incident as evidence of deep-rooted corruption within the Nigeria Police Force.
“I was released only because I am a staff member of the Federal Road Safety Corps. But do you know they refused to release two of my friends who were arrested with me during the crossover night?” he said.
“Many of those eventually released were forced to pay between ₦150,000 and ₦200,000 each for bail, right inside the Asaba Police Command. What kind of country is this, for Christ’s sake? In your own country, the police are supposed to protect you, but they are now the ones tormenting us.”
Another source added, “How do you arrest innocent worshippers, label them hoodlums, and then fail to charge them to court, yet extort ₦150,000 to ₦200,000 from them for bail? Painfully, these officers operate hand in hand with top-ranking officials.”
A lawyer who requested anonymity also confirmed that despite his intervention, police officers allegedly extorted ₦150,000 each from three detainees before releasing them.
One of the victims, Mrs. Blessing Ezeigbo, told SaharaReporters that police officers fired tear gas at Inter-Bau Roundabout while she, her brother and her two children were returning from church. She said her brother was assaulted and arrested without explanation, while she was also assaulted, resulting in a broken tooth.
Investigations further revealed that Benjamin Eboka, Godspower Udoh and Michael Onochie were arrested along with their vehicle while driving to a crossover night church service at DLA Road.
A police source criticised the conduct of DCP Olumuyiwa, alleging abuse of power and disregard for human rights.
“DCP Olumuyiwa does not even listen to Deputy Inspectors-General, largely because of his closeness to the Inspector-General of Police,” the source said.
“He recently arrested over 300 people in Agbor, including impounding vehicles belonging to traditional rulers over alleged number plate issues. If you visit the police cells, you will see many police officers attached to VIPs who have been arrested and detained by him. DCP Olumuyiwa is overstepping his bounds and needs to be cautioned immediately.”
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters on Tuesday reported that the Delta State Police Command rearrested and detained one of the worshippers earlier granted bail.
The police allegedly accused the individual of “leaking” details of the extortion to the media.
It was learnt that Benjamin Eboka, a staff member of the Delta State Fire Service, was invited to the police command to retrieve his impounded vehicle but was rearrested and detained.
“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,” a source said on Tuesday.
“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.”
The source added that Eboka did not speak to any journalist after his initial arrest and suggested that friends or relatives of other detainees might have exposed the alleged extortion.