“Stop Offering Us Bribes” – Police Tells Nigerians

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

The Nigeria Police Force and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have appealed to Nigerians to stop offering their officers a bribe and to report erring officers.

The two agencies were among participants at a one-day virtual stakeholder dialogue on “effective and sustainable strategies for curbing retail corruption” organized 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).

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, adding 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.