By Ado Oyeyemi
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested four police officers accused of extorting N53,000 from the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN), during an unauthorised stop and search operation in Abuja.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed the development on Monday while addressing journalists in the nation’s capital.
He described the officers as criminal elements who had no place in the Nigeria Police Force.
Sanusi said preliminary investigations revealed that the officers abandoned their assigned duty posts and assembled at the Banex area of Wuse, where they allegedly mounted an illegal checkpoint to extort motorists.
According to him, the officers intercepted the ICPC chairman without recognising his identity and compelled him to withdraw N53,000 through a Point of Sale operator.
He added that the victim also paid the transaction charges before the officers shared the money among themselves.
The commissioner said the suspects were identified and arrested after police investigations traced the group’s activities.
He explained that the arrest of the gang leader led to the apprehension of the remaining members of the syndicate.
He assured that the command would ensure the officers faced appropriate disciplinary measures, including dismissal where necessary.
Sanusi also reiterated the Inspector General of Police’s directive prohibiting officers from indiscriminately searching citizens’ mobile phones during patrols or stop and search operations.
He advised members of the public to reject unlawful requests by police personnel to inspect their phones and to immediately report such incidents through the police emergency lines.
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The commissioner urged residents to continue reporting cases of extortion and other misconduct involving police officers, assuring that anyone found culpable would be sanctioned in accordance with the law and police regulations.
