The Nigerian Police arrested officers from the Special Tactical Squad in Abuja on Friday for extorting N30 million from a member of the public.
ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, stated on Friday that the situation was brought to their attention via X (previously Twitter).
According to the statement, great progress was made in apprehending the cops and their collaborators.
In a video, an X user named Harrison Gwamnishu, also known as #HarrisonBbi18, described how authorities stopped an unknown man, checked his phone, and proceeded to extract money from private bank accounts.
“They stopped the young man on the road, took him to their car, started checking his phones, checked his account balance, and that was how they wiped everything off of the two accounts they gave to the boy: Access Bank and Moniepoint accounts,” he said.
However, the Force spokesman stated that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability in the Police Force and that the IGP had ordered the immediate initiation of disciplinary actions against the officers “to ensure that justice is served swiftly and decisively.”.
The IGP further emphasised that individuals who broke the public’s trust in the police would face the full repercussions of their conduct, as such behaviour hampered efforts to preserve law and order.
The statement read in part, “Following the recent act of extortion by some officers of the Nigeria Police attached to the Special Tactical Squad in Abuja who extorted a member of the public of the sum of N30,300,000, which was brought to the notice of the Force via the X Platform, the Nigeria Police wishes to reveal and announce that significant progress has been made in apprehending the officers and their accomplices responsible for this unprofessional conduct as the squad who initially escaped upon commencement of investigations have been arrested and are currently in custody.
“The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, as part of his commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability within the Nigeria Police Force, has ordered the commencement of disciplinary proceedings to ensure that justice is served swiftly and decisively.”