I paid N50,000 ransom to secure my release from police – Uche Okoye, TikTok singer

 

Rivers Police says video is nothing but blackmail

 

Kwekwu Thomas I Monday, Sept. 18, 2023

 

PORT HARCOURT – It appears the harsh economic situation is pushing officers of the Nigerian police in Port Harcourt, River State into all forms of illegality. 

They appear to be out of control, brutal and now employ every trick to collect money from innocent Nigerians at gunpoint.

Uche P Okoye, alias Kay Persona, a Tiktok singer and content producer in Port Harcourt was forced to cough out N50,000, which he described as ransom to secure his release from the Police Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, Ogunagbade in Port Harcourt. He said he had to pay because he does not want to go back into the cell which was stinking with foul smell.

INVEST just  N5000, Earn Extra Cash

The ransom, he said was actually N150,000 after he was abducted in the Bolt Car he booked to take him to his destination but had to negotiate and forced to part with N50, 000. The only offence he committed was securing the service of a Bolt driver in Port Harcourt.

Okoye narrated that the police who abducted him along Rumukuta to the police station told him that the Bolt vehicle was the problem  and that the vehicle was under surveillance when he was stopped at 6pm on Saturday and told that the car was being escorted to the police unit but the Bolt car and driver, the alleged source of the arrest was allowed to leave with his car at the police station, while Okoye was instructed to pay the Bolt driver.

He said in his video that when he refused he was taken inside an apartment without any processing at the counter. He offloaded all he has, including his jewelries, cloth and phone and was made to sit on the bare floor before being moved to a cell.

He spent five hours in the cell, from 6pm on Saturday till 12 am.  At 1 PM, he was asked to write a statement, about his background and what he does for a living.

“After that they searched his phone, email, whatsapp, and they took him back to the cell and that they will process his case the following day only to be made to cough out N50,000 in cash.

Rivers State Police : Video is false, a blackmail

Reacting to the allegation, the Rivers State Police Command said having received a TikTok video shared on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) by a user @UchePOkoye, has taken proactive steps to establish communication with the concerned individual referred to as “Kay Persona”.

“Since September 8, 2023, despite the Command’s commitment to ensuring utmost confidentiality, the said complainant has not come forward to formally register any grievances related to the content depicted in the TikTok video.

“Any attempts to blackmail the Command through social media or spreading false information will not be tolerated. It is essential to note that police officers who have been found wanting in their relationship with members of the public have been dealt with, and we remain committed to addressing such issues.

“Anyone with concrete information as to the whereabouts of ‘Kay Persona,’ should, please contact the Command, as he has not responded to our invitations. In the light of this absence of official contact from the affected party, the command hereby believes the content of the video to be unsubstantiated and therefore false.

“We urge the public to discountenance its claims while reiterating that all complainants about Police actions or inaction may be reported via the following contact numbers: 09014273818 and 08161355218. SP GRACE IRINGE-KOKO, ANIPR POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, RIVERS STATE POLICE COMMAND, PORT HARCOURT