2 traffic wardens dismissed in Abuja for collecting N15,000 from motorist

Two traffic wardens attached to Wuse Police Division, FCT Command, Abuja, have been dismissed from service for allegedly collecting N15,000 as bribe from a traffic offender.

The suspects, Musa Muktari with force number 394120 GDI and Shuaibu Suleman, 10627 GDII, arrested a motorist with an undisclosed identity at Wuse Market on May 29, accusing him of jumping traffic light.

The motorist was reportedly delayed as the traffic wardens insisted that he must part with some money before he would be allowed to go. Claim by the motorist that he does not have any money on him and that he did not also disobey traffic light fell on deaf ears.

The traffic wardens reportedly followed the motorist to an Automated Teller Machine, ATM, where he withdrew N15,000 from his account and gave same to the traffic wardens.

However, as they were alighting from the motorist vehicle, one of them forgot his mobile telephone.

It was gathered trouble started for them after the motorist lodged a complaint about the extortion at the Police Pubic Complaint Rapid Response Unit, PCRRU, following which the traffic wardens were summoned.

They reportedly denied the claim until the mobile telephone that was forgotten was shown to them as evidence, consequent upon which they were subjected to an Orderly Room Trial at the Provost Department, Force Headquarters.

Both of them, according to the Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of the Unit, Abayomi Shogunle, were found guilty of abuse of office, soliciting and receiving a bribe contrary to Paragraph C Sub (IV), (VI) and (II) of the 1st Schedule of the Police Act and Regulation CAP 370 of 1990. He said:

“The complainant has also been given back his N15,000 with an apology from the PCRRU. While collecting his money, the visibly delighted man said ‘I never thought this could happen in this country— the officers punished and my money returned to me’.”