The new Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, has issued a stern warning to officers against extorting commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators, declaring that any officer caught engaging in such practices will be treated as a criminal. Speaking during a strategic briefing on security and traffic enforcement in Abuja, Sanusi told senior police personnel that the command would no longer tolerate reports of extortion targeting Keke and Okada riders.
Sanusi's warning: 'You are a thief'
Sanusi made it clear that extortion would not be condoned. 'We don't want to hear stories of extortion here and there. Stopping Keke Napep, stopping the Okada people and extorting them. If we hear that, it means you are a thief. And a thief is not supposed to be equally a thief and a policeman,' he said. He emphasized that officers must choose between law enforcement and criminal conduct, warning that the command is actively monitoring personnel through tips from multiple sources.
Monitoring and accountability
The commissioner stated that the command has informants monitoring officers' conduct and promised action against anyone found engaging in extortion. 'We have ears on ground. We have people reaching out to us..., giving us details about each and every one of you. You must be civil in your interactions with members of the public,' he added. He also directed divisional police officers, divisional crime officers, and area commanders to intensify efforts against 'one chance' robberies, traffic robberies, and phone snatching across the city.
Crackdown on one-chance robberies and phone snatching
Sanusi warned that he would personally remove any officer found shielding such crimes. 'If we hear that 'one chance' operates, traffic robbers operate, snatchers of phones operate… I will remove you. There's nobody that will call me and talk to me about it,' he said. He further instructed officers to focus on securing urban areas, while assuring them that he would personally lead operations in more dangerous locations when necessary.
Background of the commissioner
Sanusi, who assumed office in March 2026 as the 35th FCT Commissioner of Police, previously served as Commander of the Nigeria Police Force's Intelligence Response Team (IRT) before his redeployment to Abuja. His warning comes amid sustained public complaints over police extortion targeting commercial riders in the capital, with residents frequently accusing officers of using routine stops as opportunities to demand bribes.
