POLICEMAN CAUGHT ON VIDEO DEMANDING N10,000 BRIBE

For the third time in the past two months, another policeman has been
caught on video demanding a bribe of N10,000 from a motorist.
The footage, secretly filmed by a passenger at the back seat of a
vehicle in Onitsha, Anambra State, has so far received thousands of
hits on YouTube.
In the video, a policeman apprehended the driver of a vehicle that
was coming from Akure, Ondo State to Umuahia, Abia State. The
policeman sat in the front seat with the driver, and after checking
the vehicle particulars, declared that he had discovered some
discrepancies between the documents and the chassis number.
In the video, the policeman explained that the number '0' was the last
number on the chassis number inscribed on the vehicle, while number
'3'was the last number on the documents presented to him for perusal.
The driver was seen arguing with the policeman that he had asked him
to veer off the road in order to enable him (policeman) do proper
checking of the vehicle. Once the alleged discrepancies were
discovered, the policeman insisted that he would collect N10,000
before he would release him.
The driver's appeal that there was an unintended mix-up somewhere and
that the vehicle was not a stolen one fell on deaf ears. A nursing
mother who sat at the back also appealed to the policeman.
The man in uniform bellows, "Settle us. Just give us N10,000 make I
waka comot. Or is it too much? If I knew you stole the vehicle, I
won't collect money from you."
But the driver, on noticing the adamance of the policeman, said he
won't give in to his demands.
"It is three much! I want you to take me to your station. I'm not
afraid of anything. I can go back to Akure. At worst, I will miss my
appointment in Umuahia. Why will I part with N10,000 on the vehicle I
didn't steal? No sir! I can't do that.
"I will rather go back to Akure, get the registration officer and
other supporting documents, come back with another vehicle and clear
myself. And that is to tell you that I have not done something wrong,"
the driver said.
The unidentified driver also calmed the nerves of the apprehensive
nursing mother who clutched a baby girl to herself. "My sister, don't
worry! At worst, you will sleep in a hotel with your baby when I go
back to Akure," the driver added.
The policeman replied, "Eh eh. It is three much. Wetin make am too
much?" After ruminating over the issue for some seconds, the
policeman, who was armed with a gun, ordered, "Driver, come down." And
the video went dead.
Meanwhile, outrage has trailed the incident on various social media
platforms. Those who have watched the video online describe the
encounter as a pointer to the depth of rot and decay in the Nigeria
Police Force.
They urged the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to
conduct an orderly room trial to ascertain the policeman's culpability
in the alleged crime and place appropriate sanctions on him if found
guilty.