The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has arrested one Abbah Adikwu, a GL. 07 officer with the Federal Civil Service Commission, Abuja for allegedly demanding a bribe before performing his official duties.
The suspect was thereafter put under surveillance by ICPC and arrested through a sting operation after collecting marked money from the petitioner within the premises of the Civil Service Commission.
Olamiti said Adikwu “violently resisted arrest and was about to bolt away but was physically restrained by ICPC operatives”.
The Commission’s spokesman said a mild drama played out at the point of taking the suspect out of the Commission’s premises when some of his colleagues and other persons blocked the gate and allegedly assaulted and detained the ICPC operatives sent on the mission by holding them hostage in the office of the Chief Security Officer.
“It took the intervention of a back-up security team from ICPC to secure their freedom and whisk the suspect away,” he said, adding that some of the officials who assaulted and obstructed ICPC operatives were arrested the following day.
Olamiti said at the end of investigations, Adikwu and others may be charged to court for alleged infractions against the ICPC Act 2000.
Section 41(f) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 prescribes one year imprisonment without option of fine for anybody who assaults or obstructs officers of the Commission in the execution of their duties.
this is a good development. but it took the action of the victim to make a petition. if more people will report this things and necessary action is taken by the relevant people, the incidence of bribery “asking” will dwindle as people afraid of being “found out”. Kudos to the petitioner. This is a collective problem of Nigeria where we turn the other way in the face of seeing wrongdoing.