Police Arrest Four Cops for Extorting ICPC Chairman 

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested four police officers accused of extorting N53,000 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 Commissioner of Police for the FCT, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed the development on Monday while briefing journalists in Abuja. He described the officers as unfit to remain in the police force and said they had engaged in criminal conduct while wearing the police uniform.

According to the commissioner, the officers abandoned their assigned duty posts and assembled around the Banex area in Wuse, where they set up an unauthorised checkpoint to stop and extort motorists. During the operation, they allegedly intercepted the ICPC chairman without knowing his identity.

Sanusi said the officers forced Aliyu to withdraw N53,000 through a Point of Sale (POS) operator. He added that the ICPC chairman also paid the transaction charges before the officers shared the money among themselves.

Investigations by the command revealed that the officers had left different police divisions before forming the illegal team that carried out the operation. After collecting the money, they reportedly fled the area.

The police commissioner said the officers were declared wanted before investigators tracked down the leader of the group. His arrest later led to the capture of the other members involved in the alleged extortion.

Sanusi stated that the command intended to ensure those found guilty face the full weight of internal disciplinary procedures. He added that any officer whose actions warranted dismissal would be removed from the Nigeria Police Force.

The commissioner also reminded officers that the Inspector-General of Police had prohibited indiscriminate searches of citizens’ mobile phones during patrol operations.

He advised residents not to comply with any unlawful request by police officers demanding access to their mobile phones on the roadside. Instead, he urged members of the public to immediately report such incidents through the official police emergency lines so that prompt action could be taken.

Sanusi further appealed to residents to report cases of extortion and other forms of misconduct involving police personnel. He assured the public that the command would continue to identify and punish officers who abuse their powers, adding that those involved in criminal activities would face disciplinary measures and other legal consequences.