ICPC Bares Fangs On 33 FRSC Officials Over Extortion Charges
Targets corruption on highways
BY VICTOR OSOWOCHI – Luck may have finally ran out for 33 officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and a civilian for allegedly extorting money from motorists on highways across the country.
The suspects are now facing charges from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in its continuing resolve to check petty and grand corruption in the country.
All those involved were arrested during a joint operation, code-named: “Operation Tranquility V”, comprising officers of ICPC, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
The raids on the highways were simultaneously carried out in five locations nationwide.
A statement by ICPC Spokesperson, Mrs Azuka C. Ogugua, said the operations yielded the following arrests: “Five FRSC officials and a civilian at Onitsha Head Bridge and eleven FRSC officials on Awka – Onitsha Road, both in Anambra State; Eight FRSC officials on Calabar – Bakassi Road, Cross River State; Four FRSC officials at Hawan Kibo, Jos Road, Plateau State; and Five FRSC officials on Oboloafor – Enugu Road, Enugu State.”
According to the statement, “All in all, 33 FRSC officials and one civilian were arrested in the raids.
“The operation also yielded the recovery of a total sum of Forty-Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventy Naira from the suspects which are alleged proceeds of their extortionary activities.”
Mrs Ogugua however disclosed that the suspects have all been granted administrative bails while “further investigation activities are still on-going to ensure those culpable are appropriately punished.”
Furthermore, the statement assured that; “ICPC is determined to sustain the operation to rid Nigeria’s highways of officials who extort money from road-users.”
