The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has detained four police officers accused of extorting ₦53,000 from the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), during an illegal 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 criminals who had no place in the Nigeria Police Force.
According to Sanusi, the officers abandoned their official duty posts, converged around the Banex area of Wuse and set up an unauthorised checkpoint where they allegedly targeted motorists for extortion. He said they did not realise that one of their victims was the ICPC chairman.
The commissioner explained that the officers compelled Aliyu to withdraw ₦53,000 from a Point of Sale (POS) terminal, pay the associated transaction charges and hand over the money, which they later shared among themselves.
“I must say here too that we have about four policemen in custody as we speak who successfully extorted somebody of high importance, unknown to them that this person is a highly placed person in society. In clear terms, they extorted the Chairman of the ICPC.
“They extorted him of N53,000. They took him to a POS, he withdrew the money, paid the charges and they shared the money among themselves,” Sanusi said.
The police commissioner said investigations showed that the officers had deserted their assigned locations before teaming up to operate the illegal checkpoint.
“They are a gang of criminals who left various divisions, clustered together, moved to Wuse Banex and created a checkpoint where they perpetrated this act before fleeing,” he said.
Sanusi further disclosed that the command declared the officers wanted before tracking down their gang leader, whose confession led investigators to the remaining members of the group.
“We got all of them. We are going to make sure they are severely punished. Those that are going to be dismissed will definitely be dismissed,” he added.
The commissioner also reminded officers and members of the public that the Inspector-General of Police has prohibited indiscriminate searches of citizens’ mobile phones during routine patrols.
“You cannot stop anybody on the road and ask the person to bring out his phone for search. If any policeman stops you and asks to search your phone, don’t agree. Call the police emergency lines and we will ask them why,” Sanusi said.
He urged residents to promptly report cases of extortion and other forms of misconduct involving police personnel, assuring that erring officers would be identified and disciplined.
“We will still enforce the IG’s directive. Some of them are on the task because they are criminally minded. They want to perpetrate such acts. If we get them, they will face disciplinary actions and will be made to face the consequences,” he said.