The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has taken swift action in response to a disturbing claim that officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) extorted N5.2 million from a group of travelers.
The situation came to public attention after a viral post surfaced on social media, alleging that a group of young men, who were traveling from Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State to Akure in Ondo State, were unlawfully stopped and forced to part with a large sum of money by NSCDC officers.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by the Minister’s media aide, Babatunde Alao, Tunji-Ojo expressed serious concern over the incident and ordered a thorough investigation into the matter. He noted that such behavior from law enforcement officers, if confirmed, is completely unacceptable and undermines public trust in security institutions.
“The Ministry under my leadership has zero tolerance for any form of misconduct, especially extortion, abuse of power, or harassment by any paramilitary agency,” Tunji-Ojo said. “We must ensure that officers serve the people with integrity and respect.”
The Minister also noted that the alleged actions of the NSCDC officers do not reflect the values and expectations of the corps. He called on the leadership of the NSCDC to work closely with the Ministry to uncover the facts and take appropriate disciplinary steps against anyone found guilty.
He added that the outcome of the investigation would be made public and assured Nigerians that justice will be served. “No officer, regardless of rank, will be protected if found guilty of wrongdoing,” he noted.
