Nigerian Police, bribery, fraud and corruption (PICTURES)

* Citizens segxwally assaulted, shot for refusing to bribe

* High-level embezzlement limits police resources

* Wealthy able to pay for private police squads

Corruption in the Nigerian police force, from armed officers extorting money at checkpoints to top officials embezzling public funds, has led to the beating and even killing of innocent civilians, a rights group said.

Institutionalised extortion, lack of political will for reform and impunity mean Nigerians are more likely to encounter police threatening them and demanding bribes than enforcing law, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a 102-page report.

"The long-term failure of the Nigerian authorities to address police bribery, extortion, and wholesale embezzlement threatens the basic rights of all Nigerians," said Corinne Dufka, senior HRW West Africa researcher.

In major cities across Africa's most populous nation, including the commercial hub Lagos and capital Abuja, armed police set up checkpoints every evening ostensibly to control high levels of crime, including armed robbery and kidnapping.

But the checkpoints are in reality tolls at which officers attempt to force motorists to pay money -- sometimes grinning, Kalashnikov in hand, and asking "anything for the boys?" but frequently becoming more aggressive.

"Extortion-related confrontations between the police and motorists often escalate into more serious abuses," the report, based on interviews with more than 145 victims, said.

"The evidence suggests that police officers have on numerous occasions severely beaten, segxwally assaulted, or shot to death ordinary citizens who failed to pay bribes demanded."

Nigerian police spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu said the report contained "largely embellished innuendos".

"Admittedly, the Nigerian Police Force has identified the conduct of some of its personnel in the areas of corruption, extortion, arbitrary arrests, torture and even extrajudicial execution," he said on the police website (www.npf.gov.ng).

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Posted: at 8-09-2010 08:49 PM (13 years ago) | Addicted Hero

Nigerian police are criminals we know that.....what about our politicians???

Posted: at 8-09-2010 09:23 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

THE NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE SHOULD STOP THIS, OR WHAT HAPPENED IN THE YEAR 2005 OCTOBER WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.

Posted: at 8-09-2010 10:12 PM (13 years ago) | Upcoming

see them............lol.

Posted: at 8-09-2010 10:59 PM (13 years ago) | Hero

nawa 4 them oo

Posted: at 9-09-2010 12:26 AM (13 years ago) | Newbie

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I MEAN IT. THE NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE SHOULD STOP THIS, OR WHAT HAPPENED IN THE YEAR 2005 OCTOBER WILL HAPPEN AGAIN

My brother wat happened in the oct 2005, bcus i no dey there

Posted: at 9-09-2010 01:44 AM (13 years ago) | Hero

LET US STOP POINTING FINGER WHERE IS NOT OUR PROBLEM COMES HOW CAN YOU THINK THAT THINGS LIKE THIS WILL STOP WHERE THE GOVERMENT IS BUZY DOING NOTHING,GO OUT TO OTHER COUNTRYS AND SEE HOW THE GOVERMENT TAKE CARE OF POLICE AND OTHER FORCE IN THERE COUNTRY,EQUIP THEM NOT 50 POLICE MEN IN ONE VAN,GIVE THEM A GOOD BENEFIT WHEN THEY RETIRED OR WHEN THEY DIE ON DUTY MAKE THE FAMILY TO HEVA HOPE IF THERE SUN DIE. PAY THEM A GOOD SALARY BEFORE MONTH END, THAT LL BE OK FOR THEM BEFORE THE MONTH RUNDOWN IF THE GOVERMENT CAN DO THINGS RIGHT I BELIEVE THEY LL STOP THIS DRIBE OF A THING & I THINK THEY LL SERVE WITH ALL THERE MIND AND HAVE HOPE TO BENEFIT IN FUTURE. MY COUNTRY PPL IF OUR GOVERMENT CAN BE GOOD ALL THIS PPL GOING OUT OF THE COUNTRY KILLING,KIDNAPING AND OTHER CRIME WILL STOP AND PPL LL LEARN HOW TO LOVE THE COUNTRY.





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Posted: at 9-09-2010 08:47 AM (13 years ago) | Newbie

hmmmm 9ja police,i throw salute for una

Posted: at 9-09-2010 09:30 AM (13 years ago) | Upcoming

this no be true story, but come o! why is that arrestesd police man looking so tattered and unkept? does it mean he is under
take a look at police men from other countries you would be rempted to joing the force but nigeria own? abegggg....

Posted: at 9-09-2010 09:58 AM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

this is market place you people should not wash your dirty linen in the public i dislike this post

Posted: at 9-09-2010 10:55 AM (13 years ago) | Upcoming