Anti-corruption group, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), on Monday, hailed the Edo State Police Command for returning N100, 000 reportedly extorted from one Emmanuel Alabede by some policemen in the state.
Alabede, a contractor, was said to be travelling from Ibadan to Abuja recently, when his vehicle was stopped by a detachment of policemen along the Ibillo-Okene highway, and the said amount extorted from him.
Otunuga Adegboyega, CACOL’s media and publications, coordinator, in a statement issued on behalf of Mr. Debo Adeniran, the executive chairman, commended the Edo Police Command for swinging into action by investigating and taking measures, not only towards recovering and returning the extorted cash to the victim, but also by punishing the affected officers.
Adeniran said: “We would recollect that when we read about the illegal behaviour of the police officers along that busy highway, specifically how they habitually extort cash from travelling passengers, we immediately condemned their action and enjoined the police authorities to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.”
He stressed that while Alabede’s case was condemnable as he was reportedly accompanied to a Point of Sale (POS) operator and coerced to withdraw money at gun point, “this we regard as criminal. But, we take solace in the swiftness and thorough approach of the State Police.”
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The CACOL boss added: “Our position has always been that any officer arrested over his involvement in a criminal act should be summarily dealt with and shown the way out of the force. We are persuaded to agree with Mr. Emmanuel Alabede that the problem with the Nigeria Police is actually institutional and structural.
“This is why we wish to reiterate that the modus operandi, recruitment and training of officers and men of the force should be reviewed to make it more amenable to contemporary times, while their allowances and salaries should be upwardly reviewed to discourage the temptation of bribery and extortion. This is to enable the society to nurture the kind of Police it truly deserves.”
