Police chief orders detention of inspectors over alleged extortion

The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Ikioye Orutugu, has ordered the detention of three police inspectors for allegedly extorting a man.

The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday night.

Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, did not disclose the identities of the inspectors and the victim.

How the extortion happened

Mr Ikenga said the inspectors had accosted the man during a security patrol, forcibly searched his phone and extorted him.

The spokesperson said Mr Orutugu frowned at the inspectors’ misconduct while interrogating them.

He said the commissioner further ordered immediate commencement of internal disciplinary proceedings of the Nigeria Police Force against the inspectors.

The police chief, according to the statement, reiterated that the police will never condone any form of abuse of office, corruption and unprofessional conduct from its personnel.

“Such anomalies, aside from negating the professional calling of the police, are unacceptable as they affect the entire execution of policies and directives, thereby widening the trust gap between the citizens and the Force,” he said.

Not the first time

Cases of police brutality, extortion and other unprofessional activities in Nigeria have continued despite sanctions by police authorities, such as dismissal from service.

The latest incident happened barely four months after police authorities in Imo State launched an investigation into alleged extortion and assault of a couple by operatives in the state.

The Imo extortion incident occurred less than one week after police authorities began interrogation of officers who were filmed assaulting a man in Abia State.

In February, police authorities in Abia State dismissed three officers for allegedly engaging in abduction and extortion.

In October, last year, police in Ebonyi began an orderly room trial of officers filmed extorting motorists in the state.

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Within the same period, the police in Imo State began another orderly room trial of four officers seen in a viral video clip extorting motorists in the state.

About three months earlier, 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 later returned the N3 million to the victim, about three weeks later