ICPC Official Intercepts Money Extorted From Motorist

16.02.2008

A member of the National Anticorruption Corps of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other offences Commission (ICPC) recently forced a group of policemen to donate several thousands of naira illegally collected from motorists along Aba-Oweri road to a Motherless Babies Home in Aba, Abia State.

The official, Mr. Basil Maduabuchi, was travelling in a bus from Aba to Owerri on January 28th this year when the mobile policemen stopped the bus and asked the driver to go and drop his ‘toll’ inside a bag hidden in a nearby bush.

Mr. Maduabuchi, irritated by the corruption going on, followed the driver, saw the bag containing the money and took the bag, daring the policemen to touch him.

Giving the description of the incident, the Abia State Desk Officer of the ICPC, Mr. Okoro James, said that the policeman keeping watch over the bag containing the money blew his whistle and three other policemen converged at the spot.

According to him, Maduabuchi dared the fully armed men as they struggled frantically to collect the bag of money from him, resisting them until their leader, an Inspector, asked the man, “Oga, please who are you?”

The man then identified himself as a member of NAVC set up by the ICPC to check the level of corruption and also to report offenders to the commission.

As he insisted on going with the money and reporting them to the ICPC, the policemen pleaded with him, and confessed that it was the first time they had done it.

The ICPC official however insisted that the only condition for them to avoid arrest was to take the money to the Motherless Babies’ Home and report back to him with evidence.

The now frightened Mobile Policemen agreed, took their loot to the Motherless Babies’ Home in Aba as commanded by the NAVC member. They also reported back as agreed. The Home confirmed the visit and the amount donated.

The National Coordinator of NAVC, Mr. Folu Olamiti commended the initiative of Mr. Maduabuchi but cautioned that NAVC members should conduct their affairs according to the rules and regulations as laid down by ICPC.