The Sun News On-line|Abuja Reports

At his Amukpe base in Delta State, Sergeant David is renowned for his flamboyance, and he does not leave anyone in doubt as to his status as a wealthy cop despite being a non-commissioned officer. What he did not, however, reveal to his curious admirers, was the source of his obviously ill-gotten wealth.

More than six years after keeping his family, friends and associates guessing on the magic wand of his sudden but steady material progress, the jinx has been broken and the tough-talking giant-sized cop stripped bare. Now, it is judgment day for David, whom the authorities of the Nigeria Police have declared a satanic cop not fit to be in the circuit of crime busters.

David is among 35 cops comprising senior police officers, inspectors, and rank and file arrested recently in five state police commands for alleged corrupt practices. They were said to have been caught in the act by operatives of the X-Squad in the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), on the orders of the Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro.

Those arrested included men of the police Federal High Way Patrol, the Police Mobile Force (PMF), and conventional policemen. A breakdown of the figure showed that eleven officers were arrested at Amukpe and Eku, both in Delta State, two at Umerelu in Rivers State, and six at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. In Edo State, seven officers were arrested in Benin-city and Okada, just as five were arrested at Okigwe, Imo State, and four at Obollo Affor, Enugu State.

Detectives investigating the case said over N25,000 cash was found on the suspected policemen as at the time of their arrest. "We believe that the money is what they had extorted from innocent motorists and other law-abiding citizens in the early hours of the day we picked them up. It is very shameful indeed", a senior cop who took part in the operation that led to their arrest lamented.

Although it was a bright sunny afternoon, the atmosphere at the Louis Edet House headquarters of the Nigeria Police momentarily changed as the 35 policemen were marched into the conference hall on the seventh floor of the magnificent building, to appear before the IGP, Mike Okiro. Their heads bowed in shame, Okiro however, described them as a group of shameless people who gave the police bad image.
He expressed dismay that despite the recent increase in police salary with the least constable earning as much as N26,000, some policemen, including senior officers still engaged in extortion and other corrupt practices.

His words: "You will recall that on assumption of office on June, 2007, I rolled out my 9-way test, one of which is war on corruption and crime. In pursuit of this cardinal objective, I appointed public relations, conflict resolution, as well as human rights officers in all zones, states and police divisions.
"I also ensured that direct financial allocation is made to the zonal and state commands, as well as the divisions, to prevent corrupt practices. The Force has commenced the payment of the Consolidated Police Salary Structure in which the least police constable earns a minimum of N26,000. I also set up the X-Squad which has the responsibility to clamp down on corrupt officers within the Force.

The zones and states were also mandated to set up similar mechanism in their various commands. And I am pleased to inform you that the operation of the X-Squad has continued to yield positive results".
While vowing to ensure full implementation of his administration’s policy of zero tolerance for corruption and acts of indiscipline, Okiro said investigation into the cases of the 35 police officers has found them culpable, and he had therefore, directed that they be dealt with in accordance with the Police Act and Regulations.

Despite the IGP’s declaration that investigations have already proved the suspects guilty of the offences for which they are being held, some of the policemen are pleading innocence, contending that they are not light fingered as alleged, and the cash found on them at the time of their arrest are not proceeds of corrupt practice or outright extortion of helpless motorists.