TWO YEARS AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF EXTORTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AGAINST THE OGUN STATE SO SAFE CORPS, WHAT HAS CHANGED?
Community policing, a crime control measure where locals take charge of their local security through local surveillance, intelligence gathering and reporting the same to formal prosecution. For years, Nigerians have clamoured for a return to the early days of independence policing and crime-control structure.
In response to this, state governments established security formations, some which are informal but serve as blueprints for either state policing or the community-oriented policing system. In fact, the success of these community policing structures would rebut claims and counterarguments against its establishment by the constitution.
The persistent human rights abuse cases against the informal policing structures have made the public sceptical towards the enshrinement of either community policing or state policing into the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria.
In the course of this investigation, I examined the operations of the So Safe Corps in Dalemo, Alakuko, following repeated allegations of extortion, unlawful arrests, torture, and the alleged assumption of law enforcement powers reserved for the Nigeria Police Force, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Nigeria Customs Service.
To examine these concerns, I conducted an independent investigation into the operations of the Ogun State So Safe Corps in Dalemo, Alakuko. The investigation was carried out over 8 months between January 2024 to September 2024 through field surveillance, direct observation, interviews with residents, commercial motorcyclists, traders, community leaders, serving and former security personnel, documentary review, and requests for official comments from the Ogun State So Safe Corps. Several aspects of the investigation, including alleged roadside enforcement activities, were personally observed during repeated visits conducted at different times of the day and night.
Arrest of Bike Riders Without Particulars
One of the first operational patterns documented during this investigation concerned the interception of commercial motorcyclists within Dalemo, Alakuko. Much of the field observation was deliberately conducted between evening and the early hours of the morning because multiple interviewees consistently identified those periods as the time when the alleged misconduct occurred. During repeated visits, I observed officers positioning themselves at locations with limited illumination, where they routinely intercepted commercial and private motorcyclists for inspection. During repeated visits, I observed officers stopping commercial motorcyclists. Several riders were seen handing over between ₦200 and ₦500 before being permitted to proceed. Interviews with the riders indicated that such payments were routinely demanded. Those who were unknown to the officers were frequently asked to produce motorcycle registration documents and other particulars. Interviews conducted with affected riders indicated that where such documents could not be produced immediately, motorcycles were seized and the owners were later required to pay between ₦10,000 and ₦15,000 before the motorcycles were released.
Unlawful Arrests and Torture
Corporal punishment is a common way of getting suspects to confess to an act of crime at the office of So-Safe Corps Dalemo, Alakuko. Do these officers understand the implications of getting suspects to confess to crime through torture? A case of phone theft (iPhone) was reported on the 30th of May, 2024, after the suspect was arrested, he was tortured and locked in the cell for four days, after which his parents were compelled to pay a bail sum before his release when they agreed to pay for the phone reportedly stolen.
Road Extortion: When the SO-SAFE Corps Usurps the powers of the EFCC
When it comes to road extortion, what comes to mind is the Nigeria Police, and the military mounting checkpoints. On several occasions men of the SO-Safe Corps mount bus stops and parks to extort the public, including bike riders. Their main point of extortion is Last Bus-Stop, a major Bus-Stop on the way to Itoki, Ogun State.
They accuse youth of being involved in cyber fraud, and extort them. Most extortions from youth suspected to be yahoo guys are done through mobile transfer and some through cash. Youth who raise eyebrows against these obnoxious acts are threatened and manhandled by these gun-wading officers.
On Sunday, 7 July 2024, during a field visit to Last Bus Stop along the Itoki Road corridor, I personally observed officers attached to the Ogun State So Safe Corps conducting roadside stop and search operations.
During the surveillance, the officers stopped a young man who was transporting household items, including a standing fan, window blind pipes, and other belongings packaged in a carton. The officers demanded receipts for the items and, when he was unable to produce them immediately, prevented him from leaving the scene.
The man was subsequently escorted to a nearby shed, where two officers demanded ₦25,000 before he would be released. While under detention, he made several telephone calls, apparently seeking financial assistance. Following those conversations, an electronic funds transfer was made to secure his release. Although the exact amount transferred could not be independently verified, I witnessed the negotiation process and observed that the man was allowed to leave only after the payment had been completed.
After his release, the man declined to grant an interview or comment on the incident.
Collection of Royalties from Criminals
A community leader who pleaded anonymity said men of the SO-Safe Corps, Dalemo, Alakuko have established themselves that they now seek royalty from sellers of hard drugs. And anyone who fails to pay is arrested. Where does the So-Safe Corps get such power? When does the So-Safe Corps become the NDLEA? If this be done in true faith, it would have been a win for the corps. It is known to almost everyone in Dalemo, Alakuko that the officers of SO-Safe Corps have established a gratification structure where they demand that drug dealers pay royalties to their duty officer to avoid arrests. A source who is an officer of the corps from the same unit corroborated this saying, it’s a way of making money for the unit. Then, who commands this unit?
The most notorious of the officers known as Coach, whom our different sources mentioned. He’s become rich through extortion that he now lends money to people, our source revealed. What other job does the man called Coach do? Is the SO-Safe Corps on the payroll of the state government? How is the organisation funded? Who purchases arms for the units and posts of the organisation?
Do these officers know their duties? Whose duty is it to recruit, train and monitor and discipline So-Safe officers? Many who appear like drunks, drug addicts, illiterate and semi-literate.
SO-SAFE CORPS Officers and the Use of Traditional Charms
An indigenous approach to policing is inevitable in African society where communalism is engrained in our culture and way of life. Multiple interviewees stated that an officer popularly known as "Coach" was believed by residents to use traditional charms during assaults on suspects. One incident cited by several witnesses involved a young man identified as Tope ("Top Man"), who reportedly lost consciousness after being struck with a ring alleged by witnesses to have spiritual significance.When Coach who led the team saw that things were out of hand, he had to flee with his team. Top Man, the latest victim of Coach’ voodoo, was later taken to his parents for treatment, multiple sources revealed. This is unbecoming of him, as every human rights violation and extortion has the name of Coach attached to it.
The Online Presence of the SO-Safe Corps
When this investigation was originally published in 2024, an online search conducted as part of the inquiry found that the Ogun State So Safe Corps had no functional official website. A Google search directed users to https://sosafecorps.og.gov.ng, but the link only displayed a static page carrying the message, "Ogun State So Safe Corps. Something is happening." At the time, the Corps' Facebook page, created on 17 February 2020, remained its only active online platform, with about 2,800 followers.
As part of the republication of this investigation, a fresh verification was conducted to determine whether the concerns raised in the original report had been addressed. The review found that the official website is now active and features a more functional and user friendly interface, providing visitors access to information about the Corps, directories of principal officers, its activities, and other institutional resources.
During a telephone interview lasting approximately ten minutes, the Director of Information and Public Relations of the Ogun State So Safe Corps, Assistant Commander of Corps (ACC) Moruf Yusuf, initially expressed doubt that the officers allegedly involved in the incidents were personnel of the Corps. As the discussion progressed, however, he reaffirmed the Corps' commitment to professionalism and discipline and assured me that the allegations would be investigated promptly.
Before concluding the conversation, ACC Yusuf requested that the supporting evidence relating to the investigation be forwarded to his personal email address, maarufism@gmail.com. The request was made on Friday, 9 August 2024, at about 10:40 a.m.
While organisations are entitled to seek clarification before responding to allegations, the request for unpublished investigative materials through a personal email account raises questions about established institutional procedures for handling complaints, receiving evidence, and responding to matters of public interest. Such processes are ordinarily expected to be managed through official communication channels that promote transparency, accountability, and proper record keeping. Interestingly, ACC Yusuf is now the Deputy State Commander of the Corps.
Two years after the original publication of this investigation, a fresh review was conducted to determine whether the concerns raised in the 2024 report had prompted any institutional reforms. The review found evidence of some administrative improvements. The Ogun State So Safe Corps now operates a functional official website with a more accessible and informative interface, replacing the inactive webpage that existed at the time of the original investigation. The Corps has also published directories containing the contact details of Commanders and Principal Officers across the state, an improvement that enhances institutional visibility and public access. However, the principal allegations documented in the original investigation, including extortion, harassment, arbitrary arrests, and other alleged human rights violations, have not been publicly addressed. As of the time of this republication, there is no publicly available evidence indicating that the allegations were investigated, that the findings of any inquiry were released, or that disciplinary action was taken against any officer implicated in the report.
