Four Nigerian police officers are facing disciplinary action after they were accused of operating an illegal checkpoint and allegedly extorting money from the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Musa Aliyu, in Abuja.
Newsonspot gathered that according to reports, the incident occurred on Saturday when Aliyu was stopped at an unauthorised roadblock in the Federal Capital Territory. He alleged that one of the officers entered his vehicle, demanded his driver’s licence and threatened to take him to court over an alleged traffic offence.
Aliyu said he accepted the suggestion to appear in court, but instead of proceeding with legal action, the officer allegedly demanded money, telling him that paying would save him time. The officer reportedly refused a bank transfer and allegedly compelled him to withdraw ₦53,000 from an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).
Following the complaint, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command launched what it described as an intelligence-led operation, leading to the arrest of the alleged ringleader and three other officers involved in the incident.
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, accused the officers of abandoning their official duty posts to establish an illegal checkpoint for extortion. He confirmed that all four officers are undergoing disciplinary proceedings, which could result in their dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force.
Condemning the alleged misconduct, Sanusi warned that the command would no longer tolerate abuse of office or corruption within its ranks.
“You have to choose: either a policeman or a thief. You cannot be both. If you fail to choose, your actions will determine where you belong,” the police commissioner said.
The case has renewed concerns over police misconduct and illegal checkpoints, with many Nigerians calling for stricter accountability and stronger measures to curb corruption within the nation’s security agencies.
