Four Policemen Detained After Illegal Checkpoint And Extortion Backfires — Victim Was Nigeria's Anti-Corruption Chief

Four police officers attached to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command have been detained after allegedly deserting their assigned duty posts to mount an unauthorised checkpoint in the Banex area of Wuse, Abuja — a decision that backfired spectacularly when one of their targets turned out to be the country's top anti-corruption official.

FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed the incident while briefing journalists in Abuja, revealing that the officers forced Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to withdraw ₦53,000 through a nearby POS operator, cover the transaction charges himself, and hand over the cash — all without recognising who he was.

Sanusi said preliminary investigations showed the officers had left their respective divisions and clustered together at Banex before setting up the illegal roadblock to extort motorists, describing them as a gang of criminals who fled the scene afterward.

The command moved quickly once the incident came to light, declaring the officers wanted before tracking down their ringleader, whose confession led to the arrest of the rest of the group. All four are now facing an orderly room trial, with the possibility of dismissal from the force.

Sanusi used the briefing to renew his appeal to Abuja residents to report extortion and other misconduct by officers promptly, insisting the command would continue to identify and punish personnel involved in illegal checkpoints.