VIDEO: ‘You can’t be a thief and a policeman,’ FCT CP warns against extortion

The Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, has warned officers against extorting commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators, declaring that any policeman found engaging in such practices would be treated as a criminal.

Speaking while addressing senior police personnel, the CP Sanusi cautioned officers to conduct themselves professionally in their dealings with members of the public, stressing that extortion would not be tolerated.

“We don’t want to hear also stories of extortion here and there. Stopping Keke Napep. Stopping the Okada people and be extorting them. If we hear that, it means you are a thief. And a thief is not supposed to be equally a thief and a policeman,” he said.

The CP said officers had to make a choice between serving as law enforcement agents or engaging in criminal conduct, adding that that the command was closely monitoring the conduct of its personnel through information received from various sources and warned officers to remain civil in their interactions with residents.

“‘Na hin we say, that thief, hin own don pass be careful. So, you will choose one; it’s either you make a thief or you make a policeman. So, whichever you choose will be seen from your actions.

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“We are watching. We have ears on ground. We have people reaching out to us from all fora and giving us details about each and every one of you. You must be civil in your interactions with members of the public,” he said.

He also directed divisional police officers, divisional crime officers, and area commanders to intensify efforts against crimes such as “one chance” robberies, traffic robberies, and phone snatching within the city.

“Then finally, we have to be relentless. We should not get tired of chasing after them. Like I said, and it’s applicable to everyone. If we notice, if we hear, if we see that ‘one chance’ operates, traffic robbers operate, snatchers of phones… you know, there are some that will drag a woman’s hair. If we hear that, believe me, I will remove you.

“There’s nobody that will call me and talk to me about it. Maybe by the time I will leave here as the CP, they can bring you back. No problem. But while I’m here, I don’t work like that,” he warned.

He further instructed officers to focus on maintaining security within urban areas while assuring them that he would personally lead operations in more dangerous locations if necessary.

“Leave the bush to us. Take care of the town. We will go out into the bush and take care of the bush. That’s what we want. If we ask you to go to the bush as well, you will be complaining that this man wants to kill us,” he said.

The CP stressed that commanders at various levels were expected to justify the responsibilities entrusted to them by ensuring effective policing in their jurisdictions.

“So it means if I go myself, and you are unable to do what you need to do here in the township, it means you are incapable. So that’s the least that you have been asked to do. That’s why you are DPOs, you are DCOs, you are Area Commanders. Is that not so? Yes. So, play your game well. We play our own well,” CP Sanusi added.