Giwa Ihesha
Member
TWO SERVING POLICE OFFICERS, DISMISSED SERGEANT ARRESTED OVER ALLEGED EXTORTIONFor many Nigerian motorists, being stopped by the police on the road is no longer just about checking documents.
Sometimes, according to complaints from motorists, it can become a negotiation.
“Oga, settle something.”
“What is the offence?”
“Just bring something.”
And before you know it, a routine stop has allegedly turned into a demand for money.
But a recent incident in Abuja has once again brought the issue of alleged police extortion on Nigerian roads into the spotlight.
On Tuesday, October 6, 2026, a distress call was reportedly received at about 2:50pm over alleged extortion by police officers operating around Transcorp Junction, Maitama, Abuja.
Officers from Maitama Division were reportedly mobilised to the area.
Three suspects were subsequently arrested.
They were identified as ASP Michael Godwin, attached to Force Transport at Force Headquarters; Inspector Demeka’a Yarkwan, attached to Wuse Division; and Sergeant William Udokang, a former police officer who had already been dismissed from the Force.
Then investigators reportedly made a discovery that raised even more questions.
15 DRIVERS’ LICENCES.
The licences reportedly belonged to different members of the public.
Investigators are said to have begun contacting the owners and their next of kin to establish how the licences ended up with the suspects.
According to preliminary information from the investigation, some motorists allegedly had their licences taken from them and were subsequently required to make payments before they could get them back.
The amounts reportedly ranged from ₦50,000 to ₦183,000.
And this is where the story becomes bigger than just three suspects in Abuja.
Because how many Nigerian motorists have had a similar experience?
You are stopped.
Your documents are demanded.
An issue is raised.
You try to explain.
Then comes the familiar question:
“So what are you going to do?”
For some motorists, the easiest way out is simply to pay something and continue their journey.
Sometimes the payment may be demanded openly.
Sometimes it may be disguised as “settlement.”
Sometimes the motorist may not even know whether the alleged offence is real, what the prescribed penalty is, or whether the officer is actually authorised to collect the money being demanded.
And because the motorist wants to get home, get to work or avoid spending hours at a police station, they pay and move on.
But there is a serious problem with that.
A road stop is supposed to be about law enforcement, not turning every encounter into an opportunity to collect money from motorists.
And to be clear, this is not an allegation against every police officer.
There are hardworking and professional officers doing their jobs every day.
But complaints of unlawful demands for money by some officers are serious enough that they cannot simply be dismissed as “normal roadside behaviour.”
In this particular Abuja case, investigators reportedly recovered 15 licences and arrested two serving officers and a dismissed former officer.
The authorities are now expected to establish what happened to each of the 15 motorists and how their licences came into the suspects’ possession.
For now, the investigation is ongoing.
The suspects remain suspects, and no court has found them guilty of the allegations.
But perhaps this case should also make Nigerian motorists ask:
WHEN A POLICE OFFICER STOPS YOU ON THE ROAD AND DEMANDS MONEY, DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT IS A LAWFUL PAYMENT AND WHEN IT MAY BE EXTORTION?
And perhaps even more importantly:
HOW MANY MOTORISTS HAVE SIMPLY PAID AND MOVED ON WITHOUT EVER REPORTING IT?
#NigerianPolice #PoliceExtortion #NigerianLaw #LegalAwareness