A soldier has been caught extorting money from motorists in Abia State, southeast Nigeria by a superior officer.
The soldier attached to 144 (R) Battalion, Ohafia in the state has been identified as Tizhe Luka.
Sources revealed that military personnel at a checkpoint along Port Harcourt Road had been accused of extorting money from the commercial and private motorists plying intra/interstate routes.
Motorists who refused to comply were reportedly forced to park by the roadside for some time to punish the drivers and passengers by delaying them.
This was said to have prompted a senior officer to disguise as a civilian and mark some Naira notes to investigate the accusation.
“He was caught extorting money from motorists by our Oga (boss) who disguised himself to see what was going on along that road. He marked some Naira notes and approached the checkpoint and this soldier was caught. To think he is not a young soldier, he is a sergeant, it’s so sad. He really embarrassed the military.
“This soldier was enlisted into the Nigerian Army on February 15, 1999, meaning he has already served for 25 years and a few months.
“The incident occurred on May 15 and he has now been demoted from Sergeant to Corporal after an internal disciplinary action.”
Efforts to reach the army spokesman, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu failed as he did not answer calls to his mobile line or reply to a text message sent to him to confirm the reported demotion of the soldier.
