NIRA official arrested in Kagadi over alleged extortion
He stated that charges of illegal extortion and misuse of public office would be preferred against the suspect.
Kagadi: A staff member of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) in Kagadi District has been arrested over allegations of illegally extorting money from individuals seeking to obtain national identity cards.
The suspect, identified as Mr. Akugizibwe Bashir, 25, serves as the NIRA Supervisor for the Mabaale Zone in Kagadi District.
Akugizibwe was arrested on Tuesday afternoon, October 28, 2025 at the Mabaale Town Council headquarters in an operation led by Mr. Namanya Jeremy, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Kagadi, with assistance from officers of the Uganda Police Force.
According to Deputy RDC Namanya, the arrest followed several public complaints about rampant extortion by some NIRA staff operating in different service centers across the district.
“I received a tip-off early this morning from a resident of Mabaale Town Council alleging that money was being solicited illegally. Acting on the information, we swiftly coordinated an operation that led to Akugizibwe’s arrest,” Mr. Namanya said.
In an interview with this publication shortly after his arrest, Mr. Akugizibwe denied the allegations, claiming that the UGX 10,000 he received was merely a token of appreciation from a satisfied client for good service rendered.
By press time, Akugizibwe was being interrogated by CID operatives at Kagadi Central Police Station.
Deputy RDC Namanya stated that charges of illegal extortion and misuse of public office would be preferred against the suspect. He further urged members of the public who have experienced similar incidents to report them to his office to ensure that those involved are brought to justice.
Residents who had gathered at the Mabaale Town Council headquarters for NIRA services expressed joy and relief upon hearing of the arrest, commending Deputy RDC Namanya for his swift action in fighting corruption in public offices.
Do you have an advertisement or article you want to publish? Mail us at theugreports@gmail.com or WhatsApp +256757022363.
This was incredibly useful and well written.