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), Musa Aliyu, during an unauthorised stop-and-search operation in Abuja.
Gatekeepers News reports that the incident reportedly occurred around the Banex area in Wuse, where the officers allegedly mounted an illegal checkpoint after abandoning their assigned duty posts.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed the development while briefing journalists on Monday. He said the officers were unaware that the motorist they stopped was the ICPC chairman. According to him, Aliyu was allegedly forced to withdraw ₦53,000 through a Point of Sale (PoS) operator, paid the transaction charges, and the officers later shared the money among themselves.
Sanusi described the officers’ actions as unacceptable and contrary to the ethics of the Nigeria Police Force, stressing that they have been taken into custody and are undergoing disciplinary procedures. He reiterated the command’s commitment to eliminating corruption, extortion and other forms of misconduct within the force.
The police commissioner also urged residents of the FCT to report cases of extortion and unprofessional conduct by officers, assuring the public that erring personnel would be sanctioned in line with the law as part of efforts to restore public confidence in the police.
