Security authorities have arrested all Joint Task Force (JTF) personnel captured in a viral video linked to alleged extortion and misconduct along the Obowo axis of Imo State.
The officers, who were part of a joint security patrol in the area, are currently in detention while investigations continue.
According to an official update from Imo police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, once the investigation is concluded, the affected personnel will be handed over to their respective security agencies for appropriate disciplinary action in line with established procedures.
The arrests followed widespread public outrage after a video surfaced online showing what appeared to be uniformed officers harassing and extorting civilians at 7 and a Half Amanze Junction, Obowo. The footage was shared by a man who accused the operatives of operating like criminals while disguised as law enforcement officers.
In his account, the whistleblower detailed multiple incidents allegedly captured in the videos. He claimed that officers were seen stopping young men, forcing them to hand over their phones and checking private content, including banking applications. In another clip, an officer was allegedly filmed inside a Hilux vehicle while confiscating a traveller’s laptop during a roadside check. A separate recording reportedly captured an officer asking a colleague to confirm money allegedly extorted from a victim.
Describing the situation, the whistleblower said:
“Some of the footage from 7 and half Amanze Junction, Obowo, Imo State, where criminals disguising as officers operate. An officer in the back of a van with several young boys standing. He’s going through their phones one by one, even opening banking apps. That is criminal and illegal. An officer inside a Hilux seized a traveler’s laptop while checking papers. What legal right does any officer have to stop a traveler and confiscate a personal laptop? An officer asking the one inside the van to confirm the money he extorted from a traveler. In his exact words: ‘You don confirm the money?’”
He lamented what he described as the growing involvement of soldiers in such acts, saying the conduct has made daily life dangerous for innocent youths who travel along the Obowo road. He appealed directly to the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to act decisively.
“It’s sad that soldiers are now part of this criminality. This is what innocent youths face every day along the Obowo road,” he said, adding that while many officers remain professional and law-abiding, “criminals in uniform are destroying the image of the honest and hardworking officers.”
He further warned that using firearms to extort money from civilians was no different from kidnapping and must be stopped.
Authorities have assured the public that the matter is being taken seriously and that those found culpable will face sanctions, as security agencies move to restore public confidence and curb abuses by personnel on patrol.
Watch the video below……………………………..
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