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By Ibraheem Hamza Muhammad
Four indigines of Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State, Muhammad Abubakar (Aka Baba Apa) Muhammad Sa’id (Aka Wa’a), Isa Isyaka and Mustapha Muhammad of Lafia Nasarawa state
have petitioned the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba over and copied to the DIG, Force Criminal Investigation Department and Ephraim Etibo over illegal extortion, intimidation, threat to life and breach of fundamental right of human dignity and privacy by Ephraim Ebito and other members of Intelligence Response Team of the Nigerian Police.
In a letter by the Lawyer of the people, M.I Danliti Esq of Maina ( Sifawa ) Law Chambers to the Inspector General of Police, ( IGP ) Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House Garki, Abuja.Through:The Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU).
The letter contains that, ” The chamber act as solicitors to Muhammad Abubakar (A.K.A Baba Apa) Muhammad said (A.K.A Wa’a), Isa Isyaka and Mustapha Muhammad of Lafia Nasarawa state otherwise known as ‘’our clients’’ on whose behalf we write this compliant in the following terms:Recalled that we have written a complaint sometimes around the 6th September,2021 which was received by the your good office on the 14th September,2021.
” The content of the compliant was basically on the flagrant abdication and abuse of power by the men of the IRT unit of the Nigeria Police. Attached is a copy of the said letter as exhibit A.”
The lawyer states that, a brief reveals that sometimes last year, two of our clients were arrested and taken to Jere, Kaduna State by IRT headed by one Fadhason Ayuba and his men who have against sanity and professional decorum extorted our clients the sum of N 600,000.00 and further threatened to re-arrest our clients should they fail to pay the outstanding balance of N400,000.00 which was the initial arrangement Fadhason had with our clients before they were released.
That it took the intervention of our quick response of complaining before your good office before the IRT team allowed our clients to have a breathing space and this was done after series of plea by Fadhason with our office that our clients were able to have respite from the clumsy and unabated threat by the IRT members.Our brief further reveals the IRT had been using one Sabo Bala whom they arrested last year on allegation of robbery to be fishing and extorting our clients Millions of Naira.
The said Sabo Bala was the same person that led the IRT to arrest and extort Isa Isyaka and Abubakar Sometimes around July, 2021.It was the same Sabo Bala who took the IRT this time by one officer by name Ephraim Ebito and others who came to Lafia on the 21st June 2022 and arrested Muhammad said (A.K.A Wa’a ) who was blatantly tortured, tied and was equally extorted the sum of One Million, Thirty Thousand only.
The allegation against Muhammad said was that he purchased a car which was stolen by same Sabo Bala and that Muhammad Said must return the car or its money worth despite no nominal complainant.
Seeing that he cannot bear the torture by Ephraim and his men, our clirnt had to direct his relatives to sell off his property worth a Million of Naira and surrender same to the officers. In similar vein, the said Ephraim and his fellow officers had attempted to arrest Muhammad Abubakar (A. K.A Baba Apa) but they could not get him on their first attempt. Having failed to arrest Baba Apa, Ephraim resorted to guerella attack by intruding into our client’s house without warrant and arrested his wife and one of his adopted son thereby breached and flaunted his right to privacy and that of his family and detained them at the B Division of the Nigeria Police Lafia, on the guise that our clients must submit himself otherwise they will take his family to Abuja where their office is located.
That it took the intervention of elders from our clients clan before Ephraim Ebito released the wife and the son.This was done after an undertaking was made to produce Muhammad Abubakar (A.K.A Apa) on Monday the 27th -June -2022.
The relative being curious to know where Ephraim’s office is located demanded to have the address of their officer to which Ephraim gave his number (0805547036) that when the come to Apo, our Clients should contract him for directions.Sir, it is not in about that there had been backlash on the incessant threat, torture and extortion by some of your officers, which has led to several call for the reformation of the policing system in Nigeria.
Equally, in an attempt to reposition the Nigeria police into international best standard practice, your good office have without doubt made several efforts to curb excesses of the erratic officer, yet the like of Ephraim and Co are adamant to see your downfall and by all means if action is not taken, the lives and properties of ordinary Nigerian will continued to be at stake.Imagine a police officer using a criminal to extort innocent citizens, when in essence he is by now suppose to be in jail.
We are baffled by manner in which officers like Ephraim remain part and parcel of an organization that we all grew to love and cherishes. It is unfortunate that Ephraim and his like whom we believe have family that they always cherish and protect, will blatantly disrespect the sanctity of the privacy of our client’s family.We are equally worried that it has been the practice of the men of IRT to extort innocent citizens without justification.
It is equally our thought that it is not the duty of the Nigeria police to recover money for on or on behalf of any person. This has received judicial blessing in several cases which space could not allow us to mention.
The petition is praying the IGP that Ephraim and his colleagues should be brought to disciplinary action and the money extorted by them he refunded to our clients.We believe in your capacity in seeing the best out of your organization and it is our humbly request that justice should not be done but must seen to be doneWhile we expect your expeditious response kindly accept our professional regards.
