Four police officers attached to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have been arrested for allegedly extorting ₦53,000 from the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), at an illegal checkpoint in Abuja.
The incident was disclosed on Monday by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, during a media briefing in Abuja.
According to Sanusi, the officers, who allegedly did not recognise the ICPC chairman, intercepted him around the Banex area in Wuse and compelled him to withdraw ₦53,000 from a nearby Point of Sale (POS) operator before collecting and sharing the money among themselves.
The police commissioner described the suspects as “criminals” who had abandoned their official duty posts to establish an unauthorised checkpoint where they allegedly extorted motorists and other road users.
He said investigations revealed that the officers had formed an extortion syndicate operating around the Banex axis. Following complaints received by the command, the suspects were declared wanted, leading to the arrest of the alleged gang leader. His confession reportedly led investigators to the three other officers involved.
Sanusi assured that the officers would face disciplinary action if found guilty, including possible dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force.
“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 said.
The commissioner reiterated the command’s commitment to sanitising the police force by identifying and prosecuting officers involved in extortion, illegal checkpoints and other forms of misconduct.
He also reminded members of the public that police officers are not authorised to stop citizens during routine patrols and demand access to their mobile phones.
Sanusi urged residents to refuse any unlawful request to search their phones and instead report such officers through the police emergency lines, stressing that the Inspector-General of Police has prohibited phone searches at checkpoints.
He assured residents of the FCT that the command would continue to investigate allegations of police misconduct and ensure that erring officers are held accountable in order to restore public confidence in the force.
