By Emem Nsini-Godwin
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has detained four police officers accused of extorting ₦53,000 from the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), during an unauthorised stop-and-search operation in Abuja.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed this on Monday, July 20, 2026, while briefing journalists in Abuja, stating that the officers had been taken into custody and were undergoing disciplinary proceedings.
According to Sanusi, preliminary investigations revealed that the officers abandoned their assigned duty posts and assembled around the Banex area in Wuse, where they allegedly mounted an illegal checkpoint and extorted motorists.
The commissioner said the officers stopped the ICPC chairman without recognising him and allegedly compelled him to withdraw ₦53,000 through a Point of Sale (PoS) terminal, in addition to transaction charges. The money, he said, was allegedly shared among the officers after the incident.
Sanusi condemned the officers’ actions, describing them as criminal, unethical and completely at variance with the standards and values of the Nigeria Police Force.
He said the command immediately launched an investigation after receiving the report, adding that the officers were declared wanted before the arrest of the alleged ringleader led investigators to the remaining suspects.
The commissioner assured the public that any officer found culpable would face the full weight of the Police disciplinary process, including possible dismissal from service.
He also reiterated the standing directive of the Inspector-General of Police prohibiting officers on patrol from conducting indiscriminate searches of citizens’ mobile phones, warning that such actions remain unlawful.
Sanusi urged residents not to yield to illegal demands by police officers and encouraged anyone confronted with attempts at roadside phone searches or extortion to report such incidents through the Police emergency lines or other official complaint channels.
He further called on members of the public to promptly report cases of extortion, harassment and other forms of police misconduct, assuring that the FCT Command remains committed to identifying, investigating and sanctioning erring officers.
The latest development underscores the police leadership’s renewed commitment to tackling misconduct within the Force and restoring public confidence through accountability and disciplinary action against officers found to have abused their powers.
