The Police on Monday arraigned two officials of the Federal Capital Territory Authority Task Force on Transport in a Grade 1 Area Court, Karu, Abuja for alleged unlawful seizure of a car and extortion.
Benedict Ojobo, 48, and Ofem Obunka, 28, were arraigned by the police following reports by complainants at Nyanyan Police Station on August 15.
The police prosecutor, Silas Nanpan, told the court that Sadika Shomope, Abubakar Sani, Aliyu Avi, Ja’afar Richi and Lydia Pam, all staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Abuja, reported the accused to the station.
Nanpan said the complainants had reported that the accused and others now at large, forced themselves into their vehicles while dropping their colleagues at Nyanyan Bus Stop, Abuja.
The prosecutor also told the court that the complainants were asked to pay N15,000 each after their vehicles were seized by task force.
Nanpan said the accused were being charged for unlawful seizure and extortion contrary to Sections 79, 95 and 142 of the Penal Code.
He urged the court to deny the accused bail, saying that the matter was still being investigated.
The accused, however, denied the charges.
The Presiding Officer, Hassan Ishaq, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 each with a reliable surety in like sum.
Ishag also ordered each accused to produce a surety, who must be a civil servant of no less than grade Level 8, and adjourned the matter untilNovember 5 for hearing.