Rita Enemuru, Reporting
PORT HARCOURT — In a dramatic confrontation that has exposed the deep-seated culture of extortion on Rivers State roads, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, has personally caught a group of officers illegally collecting money from motorists at a checkpoint in Port Harcourt.
The incident, which unfolded on Friday, 20th March 2026, occurred during a routine patrol when CP Adepoju, dressed in mufti, approached officers at the Mile 3 axis.
According to eyewitnesses, the Commissioner demanded to know who had authorised them to collect money from motorists.
Unaware of his identity, the officers reportedly responded with insolence, asking, “who are you?”
They allegedly instructed the CP to “shift and do as other motorists were doing” by dropping cash into their collection points.
It was only after CP Adepoju identified himself that the officers began to shiver, prompting the summoning of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Nkpolu Mile 3 Police Division for questioning.
The incident has brought to the fore longstanding complaints from commercial drivers in the state, who have endured what they describe as a daily toll system on Port Harcourt’s roads.
Drivers have alleged they are forced to pay N200 and above at every checkpoint, with non-compliance resulting in harassment, vehicle impoundment, or physical intimidation.
One driver, who spoke to our Correspondent on condition of anonymity, painted a grim picture of the situation.
“The police officers mounting all the roads in the state, especially at Mile 3, Ikwerre Road, Mile 1, Illoabuchi, Eagle Island Road, Aba Road, and the East West roads, have told us they no longer accept N100 at checkpoints. We are forced to pay N200. It’s a daily occurrence, and it’s getting worse by the day. If you don’t pay, they will threaten to shoot you, deflate your tyres, or even delay you and offload all the passengers,” he lamented.
The incident has sparked outrage among residents, who are demanding police action and a thorough investigation into the matter, insisting that checkpoints should be used for apprehending criminals rather than extorting citizens.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Grace Iringe-Koko, in a clarification, disputed claims that the officers failed to recognise the Commissioner.
She insisted that upon sighting CP Adepoju, even in mufti, the officers saluted him.
“We note with dismay the distortion of facts in the incident that happened at Mile 3 Diobu at a stop-and-search exercise by officers of Nkpolu Divisional Police headquarters during a routine operational tour by the Commissioner of Police,” she stated.
CSP Iringe-Koko explained that the CP had cautioned the officers to be civil to members of the public and to shun any acts of unprofessionalism and unethical conduct.
He also directed the DPO to reposition his men professionally for their safety, extending the same message to other officers deployed at strategic locations and worship centres.
She reiterated the command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property in the state, targeting zero crime incidents before, during, and after the Sallah celebrations, while urging the public to report any suspicious activities or encounters with suspected impostors to the appropriate authorities.
