The police have arrested and detained three inspectors for allegedly extorting motorists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The police spokesperson in Rivers State, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
How they were arrested
Ms Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police, said the inspectors were arrested on Tuesday at Rumuokoro Flyover, Port Harcourt, during a monitoring exercise by a team of operatives from the commissioner of police in the state set up to check misconduct of police personnel.
The spokesperson identified the arrested inspectors as Sarah Anendei, Caroline Promise, and Christiana Jatau – all females.
Ms Iringe-Koko said two of the Inspectors – Mses Promise and Jatau – were found extorting motorists without wearing their uniforms, which she said further contravened police standards.
“Their misconduct was captured on a video by a mobile phone, providing clear evidence of their actions,” she stated.
“During the immediate on-site investigation, the operatives searched the officers and recovered the money taken from the motorists, marking a swift response in upholding ethical practices within the Rivers State Police Command.”
Disciplinary actions
Ms Iringe-Koko said the inspectors were being detained at a police facility awaiting “appropriate disciplinary actions” against them.
The spokesperson stressed that the police command in the state reaffirmed its commitment to professional integrity.
She said the command has assured Nigerians that any operative from the state found violating police principles would be disciplined.
Not the first time
Cases of police extortion in Nigeria have continued despite punishment by police authorities, such as dismissal from service.
The latest incident came less than two weeks after police in Imo State began an orderly room trial of four other officers seen in a viral video clip extorting motorists in the state.
About two months ago, police operatives in Bayelsa State extorted N3 million from a Nigerian man at gunpoint.
The officers were subsequently arrested after the victim petitioned police authorities.
The police operatives returned the extorted N3 million to the victim about three weeks later.
The N3 million extortion occurred about two months after police operatives in Anambra State, in late June, allegedly extorted N810,000 from a resident of the state.
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Following pressure from various quarters, the operatives returned the money to the victim some hours later.
Earlier in June, an operative was dismissed in Abia State for allegedly shooting dead an entrepreneur over his refusal to bribe him.
In March, another operative was dismissed while two others were suspended for allegedly extorting $3,000 from two Nigerians in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
In February, a Divisional Crime officer of the Abraka Division in Delta State was removed from office for allegedly extorting over N2 million.
This newspaper, later the same month, reported the detention of some operatives at the police headquarters in Abuja for allegedly extorting N30.3 million.
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