Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has detained four of its officers for allegedly extorting N53,000 from the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Aliyu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, during an illegal stop-and-search operation in Abuja. The FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed the incident while addressing journalists on Monday, July 20, 2026, describing the officers as "thieves" who have no place in the Nigeria Police Force.
According to Sanusi, the officers abandoned their assigned duty posts and converged around the Banex area in Wuse, where they mounted an unauthorised checkpoint to extort motorists. Unknown to them, one of their victims was the chairman of the country's anti-corruption agency. The officers compelled Aliyu to withdraw N53,000 through a Point of Sale (POS) operator, made him pay the transaction charges, and then shared the money among themselves. "I must say here too that we have about four policemen in custody as we speak who successfully extorted somebody of high importance, unknown to them that this person is a highly placed person in society," Sanusi said. "In clear terms, they extorted the Chairman of the ICPC. They extorted him of N53,000. They took him to a POS, he withdrew the money, paid the charges, and they shared the money among themselves."
The commissioner revealed that investigations showed the officers had formed a criminal gang, leaving their various divisions to operate as an extortion syndicate preying on unsuspecting road users. "They are a gang of criminals who left various divisions, clustered together, moved to Wuse Banex and created a checkpoint where they perpetrated this act before fleeing," he said. Following a complaint by the ICPC chairman, the command declared the officers wanted and launched an intelligence-led operation. The alleged gang leader was arrested first, and his confession led investigators to the remaining members of the syndicate. "We got all of them. We are going to make sure they are severely punished. Those that are going to be dismissed will definitely be dismissed," Sanusi said.
The commissioner also reiterated the Inspector-General of Police's directive prohibiting indiscriminate searches of citizens' mobile phones by officers on patrol. He urged residents to reject any unlawful demand by police officers to search their phones on the roadside and to immediately report such incidents through the police emergency lines. "You cannot stop anybody on the road and ask the person to bring out his phone for search. If any policeman stops you and asks to search your phone, don't agree. Call the police emergency lines and we will ask them why," Sanusi said. He assured residents that the command would not shield officers found guilty of extortion or other forms of misconduct, and that those involved in criminal conduct would face disciplinary action, including dismissal.
The detention of the four officers underscores the persistent challenge of police extortion in Nigeria, where illegal checkpoints and arbitrary demands for money have become a recurring complaint among citizens. The fact that the victim in this case was the chairman of the anti-corruption agency adds a layer of irony to the incident, highlighting the deep-seated issues within the security apparatus. The police command has made it clear that it will not tolerate such conduct, and the officers will face the full weight of disciplinary measures, including possible dismissal.
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