The lucrative job of Police extortion in Enugu; How they make 4.5million every month from motorists

 Police extortion is no longer a new thing in Nigeria. Currently, it is a normal phenomenon to always keep smaller naira note that will be used to settle police men on the streets and highways, more especially for commercial bus drivers.

IGP Arase

In Enugu, is more like an obligation where you must drop a token ranging from 50 to 100 naira every day.

In our investigation, we uncovered fresh facts from major spots of police extortion around Enugu metropolis, some of them are as follows; Zik’s avenue road by rail way crossing, Kenyatta road by rail way crossing, Niger close road, Agbani road around New Roban store complex, Nise Street by Isiuochi Street etc.

In a mini survey conducted with commercial buses plying Gariki-New layout axis we made discorvered that approximately, in every police extorting centre, which is the best adjective to describe their so called stop and search duty, the police men and traffic wardens alike make an average sum of 300,000 daily.

This is the sum total of every 50 naira and 100 naira they collect daily from every commercial bus driver that ply that road.

A commercial bus driver, Mr. Chidi Nwosu described how they (Police) constantly extort money from them. He told us that the only reason they give them money is because they want to avoid their unfair harassment and intimidation, and if you don’t comply, they will make life difficult for you.

 According to Chidi, they can accuse you of so many frivolous offences and sometimes can go as far as impounding your car.

We discovered that out of about  1000 to 1500 buses that ply Gariki-New layout axis, each commercial vehicle drops 50 Naira to all the three notorious police checkpoint they come across in that axis.

Investigation revealed that each of the check point makes at least 75000 to 150000 everyday from the 50 naira and 100 naira they collect from this commercial bus drivers.

Approximately, they practically make like 2,250,000 to 4,500,000 monthly and if calculated for a year, you know what that gives you.

Some commercial bus drivers we spoke to called on government and the police authority to immediately do something drastic about it as it has become a cankerworm that has eaten so deep into the force.

If care is not taken, it will eventually pull down the Police institution entirely because of the overwhelming nature of the corruption.