The Police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have implored Nigerians to stop offering their officers a bribe. They also implored the public to report any officer who demands a bribe. The two agencies were among participants at a one-day virtual stakeholder dialogue on “effective and sustainable strategies for curbing retail corruption” organized by the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC), on Tuesday, 27th July, 2021.
Prof Sadiq Radda, PACAC Executive Secretary said citizens have a critical role to play in ending petty (retail) corruption, most of which occur in form of bribery. He believes retail corruption can be reduced when citizens are law-abiding and comply with the rules, and when institutions play their roles effectively. Radda called for the deployment of technology to automate the processes that are prone to abuse.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Olaolu Adegbite, of the Force Intelligence Bureau, also implored Nigerians to report infractions by officers and men to the X-Squad, the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit and the Police Complaint Response Unit (PCRU).
He said “The X-Squad monitors unethical conduct. Citizens can approach the squad with information. “Citizens should stop the act of offering bribe and gratification, which is a crime under the Criminal Code”.
Ntukidem Godwin, a senior FRSC official said the Corps has deployed technology through body cameras to monitor officers’ field activities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that there are plans to replicate it in other states.
He said Nigerians who comply with traffic rules do not have a reason to offer a bribe to road safety officers. “Don’t commit traffic violations and don’t offer our officers bribe. Don’t tempt us with bribe so that we can let you go”.
Godwin added that some members of the public who make reports hardly present evidence, which makes it difficult to sanction erring officers. The event featured a keynote address by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) chairman Prof Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), represented by Dr Chris Chinda.
