The Lagos State Police Command has initiated an investigation into claims that officers from the Area H Command in Ogudu extorted approximately ₦3.33 million (equivalent to $2,000) in cryptocurrency from a couple allegedly detained unlawfully in December 2025.
Police Public Relations Officer SP Abimbola Adebisi confirmed the probe via a post on X, stating that the implicated officers have been identified and transferred to the state command headquarters for interrogation.
She noted that Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh has assigned the Deputy Commissioner in charge of Administration to supervise the inquiry.
“The officers involved in the alleged extortion have been identified and brought to the Command Headquarters,” Adebisi said.
“The officers have given their statements, and we are awaiting the complainant to come forward to present his side of the story.”
The allegations surfaced publicly through a report by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), which detailed an account from a friend of the victims, using the pseudonym Abiodun Alabi.
According to the report, the incident occurred in the early hours of December 18, 2025, as the couple traveling out of Lagos was stopped by officers.
The man was reportedly profiled, his phones seized, and both he and his pregnant wife were taken to Ogudu Police Station.
The woman was allegedly left sitting outside, while her husband was forced to write a statement without legal representation.
The officers are accused of initially demanding $5,000 in USDT (Tether cryptocurrency) before negotiating down to $2,000, which was transferred to a provided wallet address.
Transaction records were reportedly deleted afterward.Following a petition to the Police Complaints Response Unit, a meeting was arranged on December 23 at the station with Area H Station Officer Olumide Jegede.
The couple reportedly identified several officers involved. During the session, the officers allegedly justified their actions, claimed the funds had been distributed among personnel, and offered a partial refund.
FIJ reported that ₦2.2 million has been returned to date, with an additional ₦1.1 million refunded later.
The case gained traction on social media after FIJ’s initial exposure, prompting the formal police response.
Efforts to verify if the complainant has since visited headquarters remain ongoing.
Source: Lagos Police Launch Probe into Officers Accused of Extorting $2,000 from Couple
