The Niger state police command has arrested a 45-year-old dismissed policeman, Usman Yohanna for setting up an illegal checkpoint and extorting money from people in Gurara local government area, The Nation reports.
Yohanna was arrested when police detectives led by the DPO of Gawu Babangida Division discovered an illegal checkpoint along Boyi-Sarkin Daku road which was alleged to have been set up by an Inspector of Police.
It was discovered that everyone who passes the checkpoint either by car or motorcycle is made to part with some money to Yohanna and his group of men who are currently at large.
The suspect when interviewed said that he was dismissed from police service as a sergeant since February 2019 at Sabon Tasha Division of the Kaduna state Police Command.
He said that he had to set up the illegal checkpoint and claim to people that he is attached to Federal SARS in Abuja because he wanted to make money to fend for his family.
Yohanna said that after dismissal, feeding became very difficult for him and it was difficult to get another job so he and his friends devised the plan of the checkpoint when they noticed that the area of secluded and it would be difficult for them to be discovered.
The Niger state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Wasiu Abiodun said that the police recovered a complete set of Police camouflage uniform from him adding that the other members of the gang are on the run but the police are on their trail.
