The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has issued an open letter to the Imo State Police Command, alleging a systemic campaign of harassment, profiling, and extortion targeting students and young people, particularly around the Federal Polytechnic Nekede.
In the letter dated March 1, 2026, which was made available to Securitynewsalert.com, the advocacy group described a “disturbing pattern” of law enforcement officers treating students not as citizens to be protected, but as “walking ATMs” for revenue extraction.
The outcry follows a firsthand account from RULAAC’s Executive Director, Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma, who witnessed a routine evening at a relaxation spot near the Nekede Polytechnic axis dissolve into panic upon the arrival of police officers.
“Young boys and girls ran helter-skelter following the arrival of police officers reportedly conducting what has now become a ‘routine’ operation targeting students for arrest and search,” the group stated.
According to RULAAC, students are being subjected to intrusive searches of handbags and mobile phones. Perhaps most alarming are reports of arrests based on the possession of legal items.
The advocacy centre highlighted several pretexts allegedly used by officers to detain students, including moving at night, “indecent” dressing, or the possession of cigarettes, lighters, and condoms.
“These practices amount to profiling, harassment, abuse of power, and organised extortion,” the letter read. “They criminalise youthfulness rather than crime. Possession of cigarettes, lighters, or condoms is not a criminal offence under Nigerian law.”
Reports suggest that once detained, students are often forced to pay “bail” amounts ranging from ₦30,000 upward, a direct violation of the legal principle that bail is free.
RULAAC reminded the Police Command of a 2024 dialogue where Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma (represented by ACP Edwin J. Mpat), pledged to improve partnerships and address student harassment.
At that time, Comrade Obi Okechukwu Anthony, President of the National Association of Imo State Students (NAISS), had specifically urged for campus safety initiatives over intimidation.
“Unfortunately, recent reports suggest that rather than improving, the situation may be deteriorating,” RULAAC noted, pointing out that the promised dialogue sessions to rebuild trust have seemingly stalled.
RULAAC warned that in a state already grappling with security challenges, predatory policing only serves to widen the “legitimacy gap” between the authorities and the public.
The group issued five key demands to the Commissioner of Police, calling for an immediate investigation into extortion allegations around campus environments and a public reaffirmation that bail is free.
They further demanded the issuance of clear operational guidelines for stop-and-search procedures, the establishment of a transparent redress mechanism for students, and the convening of a dialogue meeting with student representatives within 30 days.
“Students are not prey. Young people are not walking ATMs,” the statement concluded. “Policing must not become a nightly hunt for revenue.”
