Stop Offering Us Bribes, Police, FRSC Tell Nigerians

The Police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Tuesday urged Nigerians to stop offering their officers a bribe.

They also urged the public to report any officer who demands a bribe.

The two agencies were among participants at a one-day virtual stakeholder dialogue on “effective and sustainable strategies for curbing retail corruption” organised by the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC).

PACAC Executive Secretary Prof Sadiq Radda said citizens have a critical role to play in ending petty (retail) corruption, most of which occur in form of bribery.

He believes retail corruption can be reduced when citizens are law-abiding and comply with the rules, and when institutions play their roles effectively.

“Cutting corners is why we have retail corruption. There are processes for getting things done. We should have respect for process and procedures,” he said.

Radda called for the deployment of technology to automate the processes that are prone to abuse.

He added that government agencies have a duty to provide quality and efficient service delivery to achieve a system where average Nigerians would not need to cut corners or get frustrated.

A Deputy Commissioner of Police, Olaolu Adegbite, of the Force Intelligence Bureau, urged Nigerians to report infractions by officers and men to the X-Squad, the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit and the Police Complaint Response Unit (PCRU).

“The X-Squad monitors unethical conduct. Citizens can approach the squad with information.

“The IG Monitoring Unit also conducts sting operations and arrests officers in the field and makes recoveries. Citizens must provide support through evidence.

“Citizens should stop the act of offering bribe and gratification, which is a crime under the Criminal Code,” he said.

A senior FRSC official, Ntukidem Godwin, said the Corps has deployed technology through body cameras to monitor officers’ field activities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that there are plans to replicate it in other states.

He said Nigerians who comply with traffic rules do not have a reason to offer a bribe to road safety officers.

“Don’t commit traffic violations and don’t offer our officers bribe. Don’t tempt us with bribe so that we can let you go,” he said.

Godwin added that some members of the public who make reports hardly present evidence, which makes it difficult to sanction erring officers.

The event featured a keynote address by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) chairman Prof Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), represented by Dr Chris Chinda.

Senate Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes Committee Chairman Senator Suleiman Abdul Kwari was represented by his advisor Ashley Emenike.

Other speakers included Abiodun Aikhomu of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Usman Dakinviri of the Nigeria Customs Service, and the Executive Chairman, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) Debo Adeniran, amongst others.