File photo
SaharaReporters reports that twenty-six operatives of the Federal
Road Safety Corps for extorting money from road users on Nigerian
highways.
The officers were arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and
Other Related Offences Commission in collaboration with the FRSC and the
Department of State Services.
The anti-corruption agency said the bribe-seeking FRSC officials were arrested during ‘Operation Tranquility’.
The operation was conducted in Imo, Zamfara, Ondo, and Yobe states.
“The part of the operation in Owerri, Imo State, also led to the
arrest of a man, who was alleged to be the custodian of the proceeds of
extortion.
“The operation which is the second one in three months since the
beginning of 2019, was also conducted simultaneously across four states
of the federation between October 2 and October 5, 2019, following the
receipt of a complaint from the management of the FRSC of extortion
activities by some members of its patrol teams nationwide.
The FRSC management had, in the complaint, observed that incidents of
extortion were rampant on highways across the country,” the ICPC said.
Nine FRSC officials and a man who is a civilian in Owerri, Imo State;
eight in Kaura-Namoda, Zamfara State; five in Ore, Ondo State; and four
in Potiskum, Yobe State were arrested on roads across the states.
Money was allegedly found on the arrested FRSC officials and the
civilian during the operation before they were taken into ICPC custody.
“All the officials and the civilian arrested have been granted
administrative bail pending their prosecution by the commission at the
conclusion of the investigation,” said ICPC.