Nigeria: Lawyer Alleges Illegal Detention, Torture, N180,000 Bail Extortion By Police

Mr Chude alleged widespread human rights abuses at the police Octopus Unit in Port Harcourt, including unlawful detention, torture, and extortion, while calling for urgent scrutiny and stronger oversight of detention facilities.

A lawyer, Wisdom Chude, has alleged widespread human rights abuses at the Octopus Unit of the Nigeria Police Force's C4i Department in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, including unlawful detention, torture, and extortion of suspects.

Mr Chude made the allegations in a Facebook post on Sunday after, according to him, speaking with a man who claimed to have been detained at the facility located in the Mile 2 area of Diobu.

The lawyer also tagged the Rivers State police spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, in the post.

According to Mr Chude, the man told him he was arrested over a petition that had "no connection whatsoever" to him and was detained for several days.

The detainee claimed that while in custody, he was subjected to severe beatings and repeated slaps and was compelled to pay N180,000 before his release.

Mr Chidera quoted the unnamed man as saying that "every item seized from him, including his shoes and shirts, had a separate price attached before they could be released back to him."

He further alleged that the detainee recounted cases of other persons who had remained in custody for between two and three months without being granted bail or charged before a court.

"He also recounted the case of a young man who was allegedly extorted of N200,000 under the guise of bail, only to be returned to the cell after completing the payment," Mr Chude wrote.

Describing the allegations as disturbing, Mr Chude called for urgent scrutiny of the tactical unit.

"The Octopus Unit deserves urgent scrutiny. The scale of the alleged human rights violations taking place there should be a matter of serious public concern," he wrote.

He also questioned the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms, noting that Rivers State has an Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee and legal provisions requiring judges and chief magistrates to inspect detention facilities periodically.

"How can anyone be detained for weeks or even months without bail, without being charged in court, and without any meaningful oversight?" he asked.

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Mr Chude further urged the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to conduct routine visits t