The Anambra State Police Command has detained six officers attached to the Okpoko Police Division in Onitsha over the alleged extortion of N200,000 from a trader, using a Point of Sale operator to obtain the money.

The action followed a viral video in which the victim’s wife recounted how her husband, a drink seller, was allegedly harassed, handcuffed and forced to pay the money after being stopped by policemen while returning from Relief Market with his bus.

The incident reportedly occurred around the busy Upper Iweka axis of the Onitsha–Awka–Enugu Expressway, a major transport hub notorious for heavy traffic and frequent security checks.

In the video, the woman said her husband was intercepted under the Upper Iweka flyover and asked to produce his vehicle documents. She stated that he complied and that the papers were confirmed to be valid.

Despite this, the officers allegedly questioned why the bus was painted white and ordered him to meet their superior inside a patrol vehicle. When he approached, she claimed, the officers surrounded him, handcuffed him, seized his phone and drove him away.

According to her account, the trader was taken to an undisclosed location, branded a thief and pressured to pay N500,000 for his freedom. Unable to raise the amount, he was allegedly compelled to part with N200,000, which was transferred through a PoS operator reportedly brought in by the officers.

A separate voice in the video alleged that the same officers had made a habit of escorting victims to PoS points to force similar payments into undisclosed accounts.

Reacting to the public outcry, the Anambra State Police Command said it had identified the officers and opened a formal investigation. Police spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga announced that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, ordered the detention of the six officers pending the outcome of the probe.

Ikenga disclosed that the suspects comprise two Assistant Superintendents of Police and four Inspectors. He added that the N200,000 allegedly taken from the trader had been recovered and returned, describing the case as a grave indictment and clear evidence of unprofessional conduct.

He further stated that senior officers linked to the incident had been queried, while statements from the rank-and-file personnel were being taken under caution. The command has also launched a manhunt for the PoS operator believed to have collaborated with the officers.

Through the Divisional Police Officer in Okpoko, the command has invited the victim to come forward and give a formal statement to strengthen the case and guide disciplinary measures. Ikenga assured residents that the matter is being treated with utmost seriousness and that the outcome of the investigation will be made public.