A member of the National Youth Service Corps, identified simply as Gift, has accused some officials of the Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State of N5,000 extortion.

Gift, a pharmacist, said the incident happened on Thursday while she was coming from her Community Development Service function in the Oshodi Isolo area.

In an interview with newsmen on Saturday, Gift noted that she decided to stop at the Mushin LG’s Area Office at the building of the Itire Ikate Local Council Development Area, for her vehicle inspection, when she fell victim to the officials.

She said, “I went to the VIO office in the Cele area of Mushin. I didn’t know my way. I saw officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and some other people in purple uniforms. I drove towards them to ask for directions.

“When one of the men in purple uniforms came, he asked where I was going, and I told him. He then sent a lady among them to lead me to the place. The lady entered my vehicle and we got to the premises she told me to park. I had not seen any VIO official but she just told me to enter the office.

“I entered the office and I told someone there that I came for my vehicle inspection. The person told me I was behaving as if I didn’t know my offence. The person said I should hand over my car key or they should deflate my tyres. They said I took one way but I disagreed.”

Gift noted that the lady who accompanied her suddenly left the scene. She disclosed that she was at first asked to pay N60,000 as a fine for the offence.

“I later realised that the VIO office is on that same premises. The people claimed they were task force officials. I showed them my bank account to prove that I didn’t have up to the amount they asked for. One of them asked me to call my husband and other people to send me money.

“They were going to impound my car and I had just N7,000 in my account. They said I should go and withdraw the money at a bank. I went to the bank and came back. In the end, the lady there took N5,000 from me. I was there from 1pm to 5pm. I learnt they extort many people in that manner. They did not give any receipt,” she added

Contacted on Sunday, the Head of Admin of the Mushin Area Office, Sogo Osikoya, said ,“You can ask the person to get in touch and I will investigate. We encourage people to report and not give in to injustice. If she can identify the person who took money from her, she should let me know so I can investigate. Extortion is not something we would want to encourage. A lawless society is not of good to any of us.”

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