No fewer than 25 officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Vehicle Inspection Office and Motor Vehicle Licensing Authority (VIO) have been arrested by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) over their roles in an alleged drivers’ licence and vehicle particulars fraud.
The development was contained in a release made available to newsmen by the commission and signed by the spokesperson for ICPC, Azuka Ogugua.
Ogugua said the officials were apprehended in Lagos, along with other persons alleged to have been involved in the fraud on Thursday.
He added that the arrest of the ‘erring’ officials, was made possible through a collaboration between the Commission, the Department of State Services and the FRSC.
The operation was conducted in Ikeja, Somolu, Eti-Osa, Ojo, Oshodi, University of Lagos, Surulere, Agege and Coker centres, all in Lagos State.
Ogugua said: “The Commission received information that the officials connive with touts to extort extra fees from applicants before their drivers’ licences and vehicle particulars are processed.
“Various sums of money and several incriminating documents and equipment were retrieved from the suspects during the operation. The officials have been granted administrative bail by the Commission and would be arraigned in court when investigations have been concluded.
“This exercise is a continuous one and similar operations will be carried out in other centres in order to rid motor licensing administration of fraud being perpetrated on the public.”
ICPC arrests 25 FRSC, VIO officers for Drivers’ licence fraud
