Four police officers accused of 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 have been arrested and detained by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, FCT Commissioner of Police Ahmed Sanusi described the officers as unfit to wear the police uniform. According to him, investigations revealed that the officers abandoned their assigned duty posts, gathered around the Banex area in Wuse, set up an unauthorized checkpoint, and forced the ICPC chairman to withdraw ₦53,000 through a Point of Sale (POS) operator.
The officers reportedly did not know the identity of the senior government official at the time of the inciden, also made to pay the transaction charges before the money was allegedly shared among the officers.
Sanusi said the officers acted as “a gang of criminals” by leaving their various divisions to carry out the illegal operation before fleeing the scene. He disclosed that the command declared the suspects wanted and eventually arrested their gang leader, whose confession led investigators to the remaining three officers. He added that disciplinary measures, including dismissal from the police force where applicable, would be pursued.
The police commissioner also reiterated the Inspector-General of Police’s directive banning officers from indiscriminately searching citizens’ mobile phones during patrols. He urged members of the public to reject unlawful phone searches, report cases of extortion through the police emergency lines, and assured Nigerians that officers found guilty of misconduct would be identified and punished.
