33 FRSC officials, one other arrested over highway extortion

By Soni Daniel

No fewer than 33 officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission have been arrested by a combined team of Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, Department of State Services and the Federal Road Safety Commission.

The arrests, which also included a civilian, was jointed conducted under an operation codenamed “Operation Tranquility V” to rid the agency of bad eggs whose extortion of motorists on the nation’s highways has given the establishment a bad image.

The Spokesman for the ICPC, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, said in a statement on Friday that the. raids were carried out simultaneously in five locations nationwide.

Ohugua said: Those arrested were:  five FRSC officials and a civilian at Onitsha Head Bridge, 11 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.

READ ALSO: Road accidents kill 40 in Adamawa — FRSC

“All in all, 33 FRSC officials and one civilian were arrested in the raids.

She disclosed that the operation also yielded the recovery of a total sum of N45,875 from the suspects, an amount classified as proceeds of their extortionary activities.

“While the suspects have been granted administrative bails and further investigation activities are still on-going to ensure that those culpable are appropriately punished, it is noteworthy that ICPC is determined to sustain the operation to rid Nigeria’s highways of officials who extort money from road-users,” the statement said.

Vanguard News Nigeria

The post 33 FRSC officials, one other arrested over highway extortion appeared first on Vanguard News.