Police operatives ‘kidnapped’ me and my crew – Nigerian Actor

A Nigerian actor has accused police operatives of “abducting” and detaining him alongside two members of his movie crew in Imo State, Nigeria’s South-east.

The actor is popularly known as Young C. Entertainment.

In a video clip circulating on social media, the actor said the incident happened on Friday afternoon in Owerri, Imo State.

How it happened

The actor said he travelled to Owerri from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday with two of his crew members for a movie shoot.

He said one of his crew members had lost his mobile phone, and they were heading to an MTN office in the area to retrieve his SIM card.

But operatives from the Anti-Narcotics and Drugs Unit in the State Criminal Investigation Department of the police in the state accosted them on the road.

According to him, the operatives insisted on searching them and their vehicle.

The actor said the operatives saw two bundles of “prop money” in the car and informed them that they had entered into a problem for having fake currencies.

He said he explained to the operatives that the prop money, which was in dollars, was printed specifically for movie making and not for fraud.

Prop money is fake currency made for filmmakers, artists, and project coordinators as a replacement for real cash in movies and music videos.

In the 13-minute clip, the actor further explained that each of the monies had an inscription indicating that they were not to be used for purchasing except for a movie shoot.

He said he informed the operatives that his producer, who is registered, printed the money for the movie shoot.

He said the operatives asked the actors “to settle” them, or they would be taken to the station and forced to pay N1.5 million.

While they were still demanding to know their offence, the operatives dragged them to their station and forced them to sit on the floor for about two hours before locking them up in the police cell.

He said the operatives left the station to their homes after locking them up in the cell where they stayed until the following day without food.

The actor said the operatives seized their mobile phones and declined to allow them to call their families and lawyers.

He said he protested being locked up in the cell with over 20 hardened criminals.

He said one of the crew members who had been asthmatic nearly died around midnight in the cell.

“A policeman told me that if he dies, they know what to do with him,” he recalled.

The actor mentioned the names of some operatives whom he said carried out the act.

He said they were only released after his lawyer arrived at the station, coupled with phone calls from unnamed influential people.

He said the operatives later requested them to pay N300,000 to be freed.

But they protested and only gave the operatives N15,000 which they claimed was the cost of an inhaler used to revive the asthmatic crew member.

The actor threatened to file a lawsuit against the operatives who carried out the act against him and his crew members.

‘Innocent people in police cell’

The actor said many innocent people were being kept in the police cell and were not allowed to call their families.

“They don’t even give them food. A boy was crying to me there, saying no food,” he said.

He appealed to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene in his matter and that of others who were arbitrarily arrested and dumped in police cells.

Police speak

Reacting, the police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Aboki Danjuma, has ordered an investigation into the incident.

In a post on his X handle on Tuesday, Mr Okoye, an assistant superintendent of police, assured the operatives would be sanctioned after the investigation.

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“The commissioner of police assures the general public that any officer found culpable will face appropriate disciplinary actions in accordance with the Force’s regulations,” he said.

The spokesperson asked the victims to report the matter to IGP X-Squad in Owerri to assist in the investigation.

“The Imo State Police Command remains committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of the citizens,” he assured.