Four Policemen Arrested for Extorting N53,000 from ICPC Chairman at Abuja Checkpoint

The FCT Police Command has arrested four of its officers and started an investigation into claims of extortion against them.

The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, shared this news with journalists in Abuja on Monday.

"We currently have four policemen in custody who not only tried but successfully extorted money from a person of high importance, without knowing who he was.

"This person is very important in society. To be clear, they extorted the chairman of the ICPC.

"When we finish with their trial, we will bring them here so you can see the thieves. I have made it clear that you must choose to be either a policeman or a thief.

"You cannot be both at the same time, so you must make a choice," he stated.

The CP reported that the officers extorted N53,000 from Musa Aliyu, the ICPC chairman. He was close by and asked someone to send the money to him after the officers demanded it.

He explained that they took the ICPC chairman to a POS, where he paid the charges. The officers then withdrew the money and shared it among themselves.

He mentioned that the suspects did this outside their duty area. They came together from different divisions and set up a checkpoint in the Banex area.

The four suspects carried out the extortion and ran away before they were declared wanted and arrested.

"We will ensure they are punished severely. Those who need to be dismissed will definitely be dismissed. I can assure you of that.

"We achieved this because it was reported to us. People can commit crimes, but if they report them to us, we will track them down, and with God's help, we will catch them.

"If you stay silent out of fear of intimidation or further harassment, you are only harming yourself. If you tell us, that fear will end, and that intimidation will stop," he added.

The CP also noted that police officers have no right to search the phones of residents while on duty, unless the person is properly arrested and taken to the police station.

He mentioned that searching people's phones has been stopped due to abuse by some officers and members of other agencies as well.

"It has been ordered that no one should search any phone, especially when you just arrest someone on the road because you suspect they are involved in fraud.

"This does not mean phones are not used in committing crimes.

"Before such searches happen, the person must have committed a crime, been properly arrested, and brought to the station," he said.

He explained that when looking for evidence, officers can search to see if a phone or other items were used to commit a crime.