The Nigeria Police Watch has asked the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to dismiss a female police officer caught on tape extorting N100 bribe from a motorist in Lagos.
“This kind of bad eggs have no place in a decent police force,” Nigeria Police Watch’s programme officer, George Ogala, said in a statement. “She should be shown the way out as that will serve clear signals to her types in the force.”
Mr. Ogala commended the Inspector General for firing Sgt. Chris Omeleze who was also caught on tape demanding bribe from a motorist in Lagos.
“The IG should keep demonstrating that he has zero tolerance for corruption as that is one of the key ways of sanitizing the largely rotten police we currently have. Another video clip, this time has gone viral on the internet,” Mr. Ogala added. “The officer should be identified as soon as possible, tried and shown the way out if found guilty.”
He added, ” One could not but wonder why such acts by the police still thrive even after a police officer was sacked for only demanding bribe barely two weeks ago. It is quite obvious that the bad eggs in the force are yet to learn their lessons.
“This development has shown that there are more cases of police extortion out there-of cause, it happens daily all over the country; the few unlucky cases just happen to find their way to the headlines.
“Extortion of money from Nigerians by police officers will continue to thrive if serious measures are not taken to curb the menace. Sgt. Omeleze was only dismissed, Nigerians do not know of any further punishment meted on the Sgt. Future cases of this kind should be treated with all seriousness; victims should be made to face further punishments like serving jail terms. This will go a long way in discouraging other like minded officers from the act. We urge the force to use this present case as an example.
“Nigeria Police Watch therefore calls on the Inspector General of police, Mohammed Abubakar to swing into action, take appropriate measures on the female police officer involved in the latest scandal. She should be sacked to further the anti-corruption message of the Nigeria Police”.
In the video, which has gone viral on the Internet, the female police officer was seen sitting in a bus and exchanging words with the driver and the conductor of the bus.
She obviously apprehended the bus and practically prevented it from moving until she was “settled”.
After a prolonged argument between her and the bus conductor, the driver ordered the conductor to hand her a N100 cash so they could be released. She collected to bribe and let the bus off.
The video was shot by a passenger from the back of the bus.
Series of negative reactions have since trailed the release of the video clip.
Watch video;