FOUR policemen, among whom were two corporals and two constables, have been dragged before the Force Provost Marshals at the Force Criminals Investigations Department (Annex), Alagbon Close, Ikoyi Lagos, over professional misconduct and illegal extortion of N450 from motorists on the highways.The arrests and arraignment of the suspects were in line with the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Hafis Ringims zero tolerance for corruption among members of the Nigeria Police.Crime and Security gathered that the suspects were Ogbude Ben, a police corporal with No. 356721, Olatunbosun Nafiu, a police constable with No. 454608, Ayuba Austin, a police corporal and Abdulahi Ahmed.The suspects were arrested by a team of police detectives attached to the X squad of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID Annex), Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos. The squad was led by Mr. Takobi Iliya, a superintendent of police, while on monitoring of major highways, especially in the South-West, South-East and South-South geopolitical zones of the country.A police source at the FCID Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi Lagos informed Crime and Security that on December 9, 2010, at Ile-Ife, Osun State, Corporal Ogbude Ben with No. 356721 and Constable Olatunbosun Nafiu with No. 454608 attached to C Division, Ile-Ife, were allegedly caught by the team of X squad policemen, on illegal roadblock on the highway, checking motorists vehicle particulars.The source who sought anonymity in a chat with Crime and Security at the weekend in Lagos, said that the first two suspects were arrested, searched and the sum of N340 in different denominations and in squeezed form was found on them.Also at Ekeadialor, along Benin-Ore road, Edo State a team of 35 police men from Jigawa State, who were on special duty at Benin City, was allegedly seen extorting money from motorists. And when a search was allegedly conducted on Constable Ayuba Austin, the sum of N200 in squeezed form was recovered from the suspect, after which he was arrested with Ahmed Abdulahi, a police corporal with No. 380038.Confirming the incident, Mr. Innocent Ekunife, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), on behalf of the Commissioner for Police, X squad, in an interview with Crime and Security stated that the culprits have been taken to Force Provost Marshal, FCID Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, for trial.Ekunife added that further investigation to determine the involvement of four suspected heads of departments also continues.The police boss, however, warned members of the public against offering bribes to the police on the nations highways, adding that givers and takers of bribes run foul of the law.He stressed that policemen should focus more on their lawful duties of crime fighting, as he assured that the anti-corruption operations by the X squad will continue nationwide.
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