Police Arrest Four Officers for Extorting ICPC Chairman of ₦53,000 in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested four police officers for allegedly 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. The incident occurred around the Banex area of Wuse, where the officers reportedly mounted an unauthorised checkpoint after abandoning their assigned duty posts.

Addressing journalists on Monday, FCT Commissioner of Police Ahmed Sanusi described the officers as "thieves" who had no business wearing the police uniform. He revealed that the ICPC chairman was forced to withdraw the money through a Point of Sale (POS) operator, pay the transaction charges, and hand over the cash, which the officers allegedly shared among themselves without knowing the identity of their victim.

Sanusi said investigations showed the officers had formed a criminal gang that moved from different police divisions to set up the illegal checkpoint for the sole purpose of extorting motorists. Following intelligence-led investigations, the command arrested the gang leader, whose confession led to the arrest of the remaining suspects. The commissioner vowed that the officers would face severe disciplinary measures, including dismissal where necessary.

The police chief also reiterated the Inspector-General of Police's directive prohibiting officers from conducting indiscriminate searches of citizens' mobile phones. He urged members of the public to reject unlawful demands to inspect their phones and to promptly report any cases of extortion or misconduct through the police emergency lines, assuring residents that erring officers would be identified and punished.