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Four Nigerian Traffic Officers Arrested After Allegedly Extorting Anti-Corruption Chief at Illegal Checkpoint
Police in Abuja detained four officers accused of abandoning their posts to set up an illegal checkpoint and demanding cash from Musa Aliyu, head of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission.
Jul 21, 7:45 AM·1m read1 source
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Musa Aliyu, head of Nigeria's Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, was driving in Abuja on Saturday when a policeman flagged him down, entered his car, examined his driver's license and threatened court action over traffic violations.
The officer proposed a 52,000 naira fine if taken to court but suggested cash payment to avoid delays, leading Aliyu to withdraw 53,000 naira from a cash machine and hand it over after the demand for physical currency.
Aliyu reported the extortion to police, prompting an intelligence-driven operation that resulted in the arrests of four officers who had abandoned their assigned posts to operate the unauthorised checkpoint, Police Commissioner Ahmed Sanusi said. The officers now face an internal disciplinary process that could lead to dismissal.
National police chief Ahmed Sanusi condemned the officers' conduct, stating they must choose between being a policeman or a thief. Such cases rarely reach court, according to reporting on the incident.
