The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has reiterated that bail remains free and urged residents to report any officer who demands money for the release of suspects.
The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, made the clarification on Friday in Abuja while responding to complaints that some officers were extorting money from suspects and their families.
Adeh said such demands were illegal and amounted to fraud, stressing that the command would not tolerate misconduct by its personnel.
“The report of any erring officer will serve as a deterrent to others,” she said, adding that citizens must be aware of their rights and resist attempts at extortion.
She attributed the persistence of the practice partly to ignorance among victims who often comply with unlawful demands instead of reporting them.
Adeh cited a recent case in which an officer demanded money to grant bail to a suspect.
“The matter was reported and we requested evidence from the victim. The evidence was provided because the money was transferred to the officer’s account, and actions are being taken on the issue,” she said.
She encouraged members of the public to make use of the FCT Police Complaint Response Unit (CRU) to report such incidents, urging them to provide supporting evidence where possible.
“So, I encourage the public to take advantage of the FCT Police Complaint Response Unit lines on 08107314192 to report such misconduct,” Adeh added.
The police spokesperson urged residents to insist on their rights and refuse to pay any money for bail under any circumstance.
