Two serving Police Officers, dismissed Sergeant arrested over alleged extortion in Abuja

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested two serving police officers and a dismissed sergeant over alleged extortion of motorists around Transcorp Junction in Maitama, Abuja.

The suspects were arrested on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, following a distress call received by the police at about 2:50 p.m. over alleged extortion by officers operating in the area.

Following the complaint, personnel from the Maitama Division were mobilised to the scene, with a team led by the Divisional Crime Officer, DCO 4, deployed to investigate the allegations.

Three suspects were subsequently taken into custody.

They were identified as ASP Michael Godwin, police number AP No. 188981, attached to the Force Transport at Force Headquarters, Abuja; Inspector Demeka’a Yarkwan, AP No. 346638, attached to Wuse Division; and Sergeant William Udokang, a former police officer who had already been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.

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The investigation reportedly took a significant turn after police recovered 15 drivers’ licences from the suspects.

The licences, according to the preliminary findings, belonged to different members of the public and were not registered in the names of any of the three suspects.

The recovery prompted investigators to begin efforts to establish how the documents came into the suspects’ possession and the circumstances surrounding their seizure from motorists.

Police investigators have reportedly contacted some of the licence holders and their next of kin as part of efforts to establish how the documents were obtained.

Preliminary information gathered during the investigation indicated that some motorists allegedly had their licences seized by the officers and were subsequently required to make payments before the documents could be released.

The alleged payments reportedly ranged from N50,000 to N183,000, depending on the individual case.

However, the police investigation is still ongoing, and authorities are working to identify and locate all 15 owners of the recovered licences.

Investigators are also expected to obtain additional statements from the affected motorists to determine the circumstances surrounding each case and establish whether the allegations are substantiated.

The case has raised fresh concerns over allegations of extortion and other forms of misconduct involving some law enforcement personnel.

The involvement of two serving officers and a former officer who had already been dismissed from the Force has also heightened interest in the investigation.

The Maitama Division has reportedly forwarded its situation report to superior police authorities for further directives and necessary action.

The police have not yet announced the final outcome of the investigation.

Meanwhile, the allegations against the three suspects remain unproven. They are presumed innocent unless and until found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.