Senior Lawyer Alleges Nigerian Police Charge Up To N300k For Services, Fails To Aid Crime Victims
Human rights lawyer, Professor Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, SAN has accused the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) of commercialising their services, charging exorbitant fees for assistance, and neglecting crime victims in need.
In a post on her X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, October 21, Ezeilo revealed that the police demand fixed amounts as high as N300,000 for their services in some cases. She cited an example from Enugu, where residents are reportedly asked to pay the substantial fee for police intervention.
“These days, the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has started commercializing their services, charging fixed amounts as high as N300,000 and hardly responds to poor crime victims requiring their intervention,” Ezeilo wrote.
Ezeilo, who was a member of the #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, also expressed disappointment that justice has not been served to the victims of police brutality. She noted that despite the recommendations made by the various panels of inquiry across the country, they remain largely unimplemented.
“It’s disheartening that justice has not been served, and the decisions from the various Panels of Inquiry nationwide have yet to be implemented,” she added.
Ezeilo’s claims have sparked concern over the accessibility of police services, particularly for low-income individuals who may not be able to afford such high fees.
