Amichi Youths protest police extortion From Isaac Ojo Nnewi

Youths in Amichi in Nnewi South local government area of Anambra state on Thursday protested against police extortion.

The youths numbering about one thousand barricaded the major entrees to the community with burnt tyres and other items.

Trouble was said to have started earlier in the week when policemen attached to Amichi started extorting money from the people before granting access to the market in the community.

“It’s not like we are against the lockdown directive of the government but we can not close our eyes to the massive extortion being perpetrated against our people. Every one riding on motorcycle is made to cough out as much as five hundred Naira. Now consider how much these so called officers are illegally making off our people.” One of the protesting youths who will not want his name in print explained.

The youths also alleged that the police anticult unit has turned their community to a police state where innocent people are tagged cultists, arrested and made to bail themselves with as much as one hundred thousand Naira.

The youth in their good number earlier in the morning decided to burn down the police divisional station in the town as a result of the extortion and exploitations going in the community.

A spokesperson for the demonstrating youths, Ike Okey alleged that four prominent youths were arrested in the early hours of Thursday by the anti-cult policemen and that the arrested youths were forced to mention five people who they are familiar with, with the purpose of arresting and extorting money from the individuals mentioned.

Okey said the youths have tolerated the exploitations for so long and have decided to end it all no matter the consequence.

But the President General of Amichi, Chief Ugwumba and other prominent persons in the community prevailed on the youths not to carry out their threats with the promise to look into the matter.

As at the time of filing this report, the PG and some stakeholders in the community have to gone for a meeting with the Nnewi Area Commander of NPF.

Meanwhile, attempt to hear from the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mr Mohammed Haruna (SP) did not yield any positive results as he didn’t not pick his call.