Four police officers attached to the 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 FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed the incident during a media briefing on Monday, revealing that the officers, unaware of the victim’s identity, allegedly forced him to withdraw the money from a nearby Point of Sale (POS) operator, pay the transaction charges, and hand over the cash.
According to Sanusi, the officers abandoned their official duty posts and mounted an unauthorized checkpoint around the Banex area in Wuse, where they extorted motorists.
Following complaints, the command declared the suspects wanted before arresting the alleged gang leader, whose confession led to the arrest of the other three officers.
“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,” Sanusi said.
The police commissioner also reiterated that police officers have no legal authority to stop members of the public and demand access to their mobile phones, urging residents to report such incidents through the police emergency lines.
He assured FCT residents that the command remains committed to eliminating illegal checkpoints, extortion, and other forms of misconduct within the Nigeria Police Force.
