LAGOS – The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters has invited the Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, CSP Adetayo Akerele, to appear on Monday amid a surge of complaints from Nigerians over alleged extortion and abuse of office.
The directive, issued from the Force Headquarters in Abuja, follows a series of petitions and rising public outrage, with the publisher of Objective TV playing a prominent role in exposing alleged misconduct associated with the task force.
The action is linked to a widely circulated viral video on social media, which shows operatives allegedly manipulating traffic situations to implicate motorists and extort money to prevent vehicle impoundment.
However, the controversy has taken a new dimension with fresh allegations involving the detention of a Lagos resident, identified as Mr Lateef, who was reportedly taken to the Kirikiri Correctional Centre over a disputed traffic-related incident involving task force officials.
According to emerging accounts, the victim was allegedly accused under questionable circumstances after his vehicle was reportedly repositioned by operatives to create the impression of a traffic violation before enforcement actions were taken.
Sources within the police hierarchy confirmed that Akerele is expected to report at the Force Headquarters to respond to the allegations as part of an ongoing high-level investigation.
“The invitation is aimed at getting to the root of the numerous complaints and ensuring accountability,” a source familiar with the matter disclosed.
Public concern has continued to mount, with several Nigerians and civil society voices accusing task force officials of high-handedness, unlawful vehicle seizures, and extortion.
