Police harass, extort Mototists, passengers along Yerima- Tella road

●Collect bribes daily

It has been observed that a Highway patrol team of the Nigeria Police Force lead by one Inspector Samuel Alhamdu has been harassing commercial drivers and passengers along Yerima-Tella road in Gassol local government area of Taraba state, collecting N500 bribe from motorists along the highway

 Inspector Samuel Alhamdu alongside colleagues were among those bad elements of the Nigeria police force who are sabotaging  the efforts of both President Muhammadu Buhari and  the Inspector General of police Muhammad Adamu in the fight against corruption.

The team of the lead by inspector Alhamdu were on Sunday morning caught on the said road harassing some passengers and extorting money from commercial vehicle's drivers while on patrol.

Speaking to our Correspondent in a telephone interview, one of the victims and a Dandal kura Radio International Correspondent in Taraba state Ahmed Umar, revealed that the highway patrol team demanded five hundred naira from their driver name withheld as against the usual extortion of fifty naira by some of the policemen on highways. 

He said despite identifying himself and pleaded with the police they still went ahead and maltreated them, were one of the police who hide his name with No- 434533 seized the car key from the driver and kept the passengers stranded for several hours on the road.

 According Ahmed Umar, he snapped the pictures of the policemen on duty without their consent, saying that Inspector Samuel hide his number earlier when he realized that he  was a Journalist.

Ahmed explained that one of the policemen drove the vehicle back to one of their out post at Yerima village, about two kilometers away from Tells for detention as directed by the inspector.

Meanwhile, all the passengers were left stranded with no option than to searched for another vehicle to reach their various destinations and left the driver with the policemen.

When contacted, Taraba state police public Relations officer DSP David Misal said he was not aware on the matter, promising to contact the DPO in charge of Tella for investigation.

 The PPRO restated their commitments in sensitizing the police force, saying the command under the leadership of CP Alkasim Sanusi will not take it lightly with anyone caught in any form of corruption.

Misal also reassured their readiness toward protecting lives and property of the citizens of the state.