From Abubakar Rabilu Gombe
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Gombe Branch, has threatened to sue the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Rilwan Disu, and the Nigeria Police Force over alleged extortion, intimidation and abuse of office involving the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Emmanuel Agene, in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Gombe.
The branch chairman, Alhassan Muazu, made the threat after the branch’s monthly congress attended by senior lawyers and elders.
Muazu alleged that a lawyer, E.S. Tizhe, was intimidated while representing a client, Ahmadu Shuaibu Gara, who was being investigated over an alleged cyberbullying offence.
He claimed that after the suspect’s statement was taken, money was allegedly demanded amounting to 700,000 before he could be released on police bail.
According to him, the NBA had constituted a committee of senior lawyers and elders to investigate similar complaints against the FCID Annex, adding that the committee was compiling evidence from alleged victims.
“We are calling on the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that these activities are properly investigated and, if the AIG is found wanting, he must be prosecuted,” Muazu said.
He also alleged that Agene summoned him after Tizhe’s petition was forwarded to the FCID Annex for a response, claiming that he was threatened with arrest.
Muazu said the NBA would not be intimidated and would seek legal redress if the police authorities failed to act.
“If no action is taken, we are going to sue not only the AIG FCID Annex, but the entire Nigeria Police Force, including the Police Service Commission,” he said.
The NBA chairman also questioned the alleged collection of Tizhe’s call-to-bar certificate and identity card during the bail process, describing it as unacceptable.
However, Agene denied the allegations, saying he neither demanded nor received money from the suspect, his surety or the lawyer.
In a letter dated October 2, 2026, addressed to the IGP, the AIG said the case followed a Chief Magistrate Court order directing the police to investigate a cyberbullying complaint filed by Alhaji Tanko Isiaka Gwamna against Gara.
Agene said the complainant and suspect were invited and statements obtained, adding that the suspect allegedly confessed to the offence.
He said Tizhe subsequently applied for administrative bail and provided a police auditor, Usman Adamu, as surety.
According to him, he directed the lawyer to indicate that he knew the surety and provide his call-to-bar certificate and identity card to facilitate the production of the suspect when required.
Agene said the documents were voluntarily submitted and denied any discussion or payment of money.
“The AIG Force CID Annex Gombe neither had discussion of any money and/or received same from both the suspect, the surety and the solicitor,” he stated.
He also alleged that investigators made several unsuccessful attempts to contact the surety after the suspect was released on bail.
Agene further claimed that similar allegations had previously been made against Tizhe and the suspect, including a related complaint in 2025.
The AIG maintained that the police acted within the law, while the NBA insisted that the allegations should be independently investigated.