Police to sanction officer caught in video collecting bribe from motorists

The police in Anambra State, South-east Nigeria, said they would sanction an officer caught in a viral video clip collecting bribes from motorists in the state.

The police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

In the clip posted by Mr Ikenga, the yet-to-be-identified officer was seen collecting the bribe from motorists at a police checkpoint in the state.

The police spokesperson said the incident was suspected to have happened at 3-3 Area, Onitsha, in Onitsha North Local Government Area of the state.

From the background remarks, apparently made by people secretly recording the officer, it appeared the people’s vehicle papers and driver’s licence were being checked by another officer.

---

“What is he reading in the papers now?” a male voice was heard in the background of the clip, in the Igbo language, apparently questioning the checking of the vehicle papers by the officer.

“He doesn’t even know what he is reading in the papers,” said a female voice.

Sanction

Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said police authorities in the state had condemned the “unprofessional behaviour” of the officer.

The police spokesperson said it was improper that the officer was seen collecting the bribe instead of conducting “screening on vehicles” at the checkpoint.

“The video has been sent to the divisional police officer in the area to identify the officer for internal sanction within the Police Act,” Mr Ikenga stated.

The Anambra incident occurred weeks after a police officer, Ubi Ebri, allegedly shot dead a young man in the neighbouring Delta State for reportedly refusing to give N100 bribe.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how youths in Delta State protested with the victim’s corpse through major roads in Asaba.

The victim, Onyeka Ibe, was inside a car with his wife when he was shot.

The officer who allegedly shot the man has been dismissed from service.