The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has detained four police officers for allegedly extorting N53,000 from the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Aliyu, during an illegal stop-and-search operation in Abuja.
FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, said the officers abandoned their duty posts, mounted an unauthorised checkpoint around the Banex area in Wuse, and forced the ICPC chairman to withdraw N53,000 through a Point of Sale (POS) operator without knowing his identity.
“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.
He described the officers as “a gang of criminals,” saying they were tracked down after the arrest of their leader. “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.
Sanusi also reminded residents that the Inspector-General of Police had banned officers from searching citizens’ phones on the roadside. “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.
