FCT Police Commissioner says officers abandoned their duty posts, mounted an illegal checkpoint and forced the anti-corruption agency boss to withdraw cash through a POS operator.
Four police officers have been detained by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command 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.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed the development while briefing journalists in Abuja, describing the officers as “thieves” who had no business wearing the Nigeria Police Force uniform.
According to the Commissioner, the officers mounted an unauthorized checkpoint around the Banex area of Wuse after abandoning their official duty posts and stopped the ICPC Chairman without knowing his identity.
Sanusi said the officers allegedly compelled Dr. Aliyu to withdraw ₦53,000 through a Point of Sale (POS) operator, pay the transaction charges, and subsequently shared the money 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 ₦53,000. They took him to a POS, he withdrew the money, paid the charges and they shared the money among themselves,” the Commissioner said.
Investigations by the command revealed that the officers had left their designated duty posts, formed an illegal team and established an unauthorized checkpoint where they allegedly carried out the extortion before fleeing the scene.
Describing them as a criminal gang, Sanusi said the command launched an investigation, declared the officers wanted and eventually arrested their gang leader, whose confession led to the arrest of the remaining members of the syndicate.
“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 stated.
The Commissioner reiterated that the Inspector-General of Police has prohibited officers from indiscriminately searching citizens’ mobile phones during patrol operations.
He advised members of the public to reject unlawful demands by police officers to inspect their mobile phones on the roadside and to immediately report such incidents through the police emergency lines.
“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 warned.
He further urged residents of the Federal Capital Territory to promptly report cases of extortion, harassment and other forms of police misconduct, assuring that officers found culpable would face disciplinary measures.
According to him, the command remains committed to enforcing the directives of the Inspector-General of Police and ensuring that erring officers are held accountable for actions that undermine public trust in the Nigeria Police Force.
