Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A human rights activist and social commentator, Bruce Esan, has declared that he will lead a protest to the Amedokhian Divisional Police Headquarters in Uromi, Edo State, on Monday, 13 July 2026, to demand the return of N800,000 allegedly extorted from a resident identified as Mr Ehidiamen by officers of the station. Esan made the announcement in a post on his verified social media handle on Sunday, 12 July 2026, vowing that the protest would proceed unless the police returned the money.
In the post, Esan wrote: "We Dey come Amedokhian police station tomorrow to recover the 800k wey the police extort from one Mr Ehidiamen, enough is enough. #saynotopoliceextortion". The post has since garnered significant attention, with many social media users expressing solidarity with the planned protest and sharing similar experiences of police extortion in the state. Esan, who is known for his advocacy against police brutality and extrajudicial killings in Edo State, has previously used his platform to highlight cases of human rights violations by security agencies. He has also been involved in campaigns against police extortion, including the case of the "Edo 5," where five young men were allegedly killed by police officers under suspicious circumstances.
The Amedokhian Divisional Police Headquarters, located in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, was commissioned in October 2025 and upgraded to a Divisional Police Headquarters through the efforts of the community and the then Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Maria Oligbi-Edeko. The station was built to enhance security in the area, which has been plagued by kidnapping, armed robbery, and other violent crimes.
However, the station has also been the subject of allegations of misconduct. In April 2026, the Edo State Police Command announced the dismantling of an extortion syndicate linked to a dismissed personnel and other suspects disguising themselves as law enforcement officers to perpetrate crimes within Benin City and its environs. In a separate incident, the police command also arrested six serving police officers, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police and two inspectors, over alleged harassment, abduction and extortion by operatives of the Edo State Police Command. The Edo State Police Command had previously recovered N300,000 extorted from a furniture maker by officers attached to the Oba Market Area Command, Benin City, and promised to sanction the officers involved.
As of the time of this report, the Edo State Police Command had not issued an official response to Esan's allegations or the planned protest. Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer for the state were unsuccessful. The protest, if it goes ahead, is expected to draw attention to the recurring issue of police extortion in Edo State and across Nigeria, where citizens have continued to complain of harassment and financial exploitation by law enforcement officers. Esan has maintained that the protest would be peaceful and called on supporters to join him in demanding justice for Ehidiamen and an end to police extortion in the state. The outcome of the protest remains to be seen, but it has already sparked a conversation about police accountability and the need for reforms in Nigeria's law enforcement agencies.
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