Four Nigerian policeman wey dey set up illegal checkpoint to collect money from drivers don pick the wrong person: di head of one of the country’s anti-corruption agencies.
Musa Aliyu, wey lead di Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), tok say dem stop am for Saturday while he dey drive inside Abuja, di capital.
Aliyu allege say di policemen force am to go cash machine and withdraw 53,000 naira, wey be about £28 or $38.
Police Commissioner Ahmed Sanusi accuse di men of abandoning their official duty post to set up di unauthorised roadblock.
Di four policemen now face internal disciplinary procedure wey fit result for dem to lose their job.
E be rare for dis kind case to end for court.
After Aliyu report di incident to police, di commissioner describe wetin follow as an ‘intelligence-driven operation’.
Dat operation lead to di arrest of di alleged ringleader and later di other suspects.
For interview with BBC Hausa, Aliyu explain wetin happen after dem flag am down for a busy road.
‘When I stop, one policeman come to my car door. I wind down di window, and he tell me to open my car, so I do am.’
Di policeman then enter di car.
‘He ask me for my driver’s licence. I bring am out, and he ask me to give am to am, so I do am. Den he say he go take me to court for violating traffic rules. I tell am: Make we go court.’
But instead, Aliyu allege, di policeman ask am for money by telling am: ‘You be big man, you no go want your time to waste, but even if we go court, dem go fine you 52,000 naira.’
‘I ask am to give me his bank account number so I fit transfer di money, but he refuse.’
Instead, Aliyu say, he go cash machine and withdraw di money.
Di national police chief condemn di officers’ alleged conduct for strong terms, warning say di command no go longer tolerate abuses of power.
‘You get to choose: either a policeman or a thief,’ Sanusi tok. ‘You no fit be both. If you fail to choose, your actions go determine where you belong.’
