FOUR POLICE OFFICERS ARRESTED FOR UNKNOWINGLY EXTORTING N53,000 FROM THE ICPC CHAIRMAN AT AN ILLEGAL CHECKPOINT IN ABUJA

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested and detained four police officers for allegedly 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.

Briefing journalists on Monday, FCT Commissioner of Police Ahmed Sanusi described the officers as “th+eves” who had no business wearing the police uniform.

Sanusi said investigations showed the officers abandoned their designated duty posts, converged around the Banex area of Wuse, mounted an unauthorized checkpoint, and extorted the ICPC chairman without knowing his identity. He said they forced him to withdraw ₦53,000 through a Point of Sale (POS) operator, made him pay the transaction charges, and shared the money among themselves.

“They extorted him of ₦53,000. They took him to a POS, he withdrew the money, paid the charges and they shared the money among themselves,” he said.

The commissioner described the officers as “a gang of criminals” who left their various divisions, created an illegal checkpoint, committed the offence, and fled. He said the command declared them wanted before arresting their gang leader, whose confession led to the arrest of the remaining members.

“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,” Sanusi said.

He also reiterated that the Inspector-General of Police has banned officers from indiscriminately searching citizens’ mobile phones during 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,” he said.

Sanusi further urged members of the public to promptly report extortion and other forms of police misconduct, assuring that officers found culpable would be tracked down and sanctioned.