By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
The Gombe State Police Command has reacted to allegations of large scale extortion leveled against its officers manning some checkpoints in the State capital.
The State Command had declared the banning of movement of all motorcycles from 7pm to 6am on 11th June, 2025 to address the rising cases of Kalare (thuggery) activities, phone snatching and other issues of insecurity.
However, checks by our Correspondent revealed that many of these Police checkpoints have been turned into extortion points by officers attached to these points, causing untold hardship to many motorcycle riders.
According to them, some officers are using the restrictions of motorcycle movement as a tool to make daily income. Malam Ismail Kawu, a rider who resides in Kagarawal community in Gombe metropolis said he had been extorted twice paying N3,000 and N5,000 respectively.
Kawu said on one of the incidents, he was on his way home after the state’s university gate, he was stopped by police officers around 6.50pm and was forced to give out the only N3,000 he earned for the day.
Ibrahim Abdul, another rider said he suffered similar fate in the hands of officers attached to Gona Division, around kwanann Alheri. Abdul said the sum of N5,000 was paid to officers who seized his motorcycle while he was returning home from the day’s job around 7pm.
“I was forced to pay N5,000 for nothing, leaving me with only N2000 to fend my household. I am not against the ban but the recklessness at which the police abuse their power is alarming”, he recounted angrily.
Another rider who explained similar experience retorted that enforcement of law must be done with respect to human rights, “and not the way policemen are extorting us.”
He urged the State Government and the Police Command to monitor the enforcement of the ban so that the essence of the restrictions would be maintained.
“If you are saying the ban was put in place to stop criminality, when officers extort us, is that not equivalent to the criminality we are trying to address?” He asked rhetorically.
Many others from Nayi Nawa, Madaki and Barunde areas shared similar experiences, urging the police command to investigate the allegations.
Reacting to the allegations, the Gombe State Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said such report of extortion had not been received at the command.
Abdullahi explained that in all the 47 check points set up to enforce the ban in the metropolis, no issue had been recorded as senior officers are going round to monitor operation.
According to him, the allegations would be investigated adding, “I assure members of the public that necessary actions will be taken against any erring officer.
“We are fully aware of the personnel in those checkpoints. Any complaints from these points can be brought forward then we will take action regarding that”, he emphasized.
Abdullahi urged residents of the state to be patient and support the police in ensuring security, adding that the measures put in place had yielded positive results by reducing the crime rate in the state.
Investigation by our Correspondent revealed that any motorcycle apprehended at the Police checkpoints are expected to be collected the next day at the Police Command without payment of any fee after owners have satisfactorily cleared themselves.
End.
