Helena Nelson Ikoi, a woman in Lagos State, recently accused operatives of the Nigeria Police Force Tactical Squad (known as “Buffalo”) of abducting her and two friends. According to Ikoi, the incident occurred as they were returning from an event related to Chef Anani’s Guinness World Record Grillathon attempt. She detailed their ordeal in a distress message posted on Facebook, stating that the officers intercepted them, took them to Oko-Baba in the Ebute Metta area of Lagos, and demanded N800,000 for their release, threatening to detain them until Monday if they failed to pay. Ikoi expressed her exhaustion and frustration, emphasizing that they were not criminals but merely returning from setting up activities at the Lagos Fresh Food Hub in Idi-Oro.

Her powerful post quickly ignited widespread outrage on social media, prompting numerous calls for the Lagos State Government and police authorities to launch an immediate investigation into the allegations. This incident adds to a troubling pattern of persistent complaints from residents and human rights groups regarding extortion, arbitrary arrests, and unlawful detention by various police tactical units across Lagos and other regions of Nigeria. For instance, SaharaReporters previously highlighted a similar case in January where a viral video depicted Nigerian Police Force operatives allegedly demanding a ₦50,000 bribe from a motorist at a checkpoint in Anambra State over a tinted glass permit, despite the driver asserting the matter was still in court and enforcement was on hold. The officer in that video notably stated they would not release the driver without payment, regardless of who he called.

In a significant development, Helena Nelson Ikoi later provided an update on her Facebook page, revealing that she had been refunded ₦150,000 of the money allegedly collected by the officers. This update followed her visit to the police station, accompanied by her friend Jude, to meet with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO). During their extensive discussion with the DPO concerning the alleged misconduct, Ikoi stated that the DPO committed to identifying and sanctioning the officer responsible for allegedly slapping her during the initial incident.

Ikoi expressed her gratitude for the refund, acknowledging that the public attention generated by her initial distress message played a crucial role in the outcome. She reiterated her hope that the policemen involved would face appropriate consequences and vowed to continue following up on the matter. She also noted a stark contrast in the officers' demeanor during the meeting with the DPO, observing that those who had initially behaved aggressively became notably subdued. Ikoi extended her heartfelt thanks to everyone who shared, commented on, called about, and reported the incident, crediting their collective support for helping her secure the refund and achieve a semblance of justice. She also specifically thanked individuals like Okama and her friend Jude for their personal support during the ordeal. After the resolution, Ikoi stated her intention to rest and recover, with plans to resume participation in the second day of Chef Anani’s ongoing Grillathon event.