The Imo State Command of the Nigerian Police Force says it has arrested three officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and two from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for allegedly harassing and extorting civilians in the state.
Among those arrested was a 37-year-old police Inspector whose identity was not made public for the same offence.
The command’s spokesman, ASP Henry Okoye, who disclosed this during a briefing on Tuesday in Owerri, the Imo state capital claimed that the suspects were notorious for extorting unsuspecting civilians.
According to Okoye, their biggest victims are Imo youths, adding that they are using point-of-sale machines in their inglorious activities.
He said the officers took advantage of the security situation in the state to form and go about under the banner of Operation Search and Flush Criminals.
“These are security operatives hiding under the umbrella of Operation Search and Flush in Imo, harassing and extorting unsuspecting members of the public, in particular the youths, to the tune of thousands of naira.
“They use POS, seize and check the phones of their victims, thereby bringing untold hardship to them,” he added.
Okoye assured the public that action would be expedited to conclude the investigation and bring the suspects to justice.