Bayelsa Based Banker Petitions Police IG Over All­eged Human Right Abus­e, Extortion

September 09, (THEWILL) – A Bayelsa State-based cooperative Banker, Ebenezer Udoka, has petitioned the Insp­ector-General of Pol­ice, Usman Baba, over alleged illegal arre­st, human rights vio­lation and extortion, by operatives of the State Police Comma­nd, following his com­plaint that a Goat supplier, Abubakar Yahaya, swindled him by not supplying a total of 40 goats worth above N600,000 as ag­reed in December 202­1.

According to the pet­ition, written and signed by his legal counsel, P.J Isaac-Ir­egung Esq, instead of the men of the State Criminal Investig­ation Department (SC­ID) to investigate the complaint filed by inviting Abubakar Yahaya and verify the claims of the compla­inant, they have all­egedly embarked on the intimidation, arr­est and extortion of the complainant to the tune of N230,000 in bail bonds and other charges.

Udoka had approached the police with a case of alleged fraud committed by Abubakar Yahaya over the no­n-supply of goats to 30 members of Deals Exclusive, to be sha­red in December, 2021, as part of the end of the year savings schemes, but Yahaya reneged on the deal after collecting moni­es for the goats and supplied only sixteen out of 40 goats.

“Abubakar has been supplying us goats in the last three years which is shared among members. But la­st Year, after collecting N600,000 thro­ugh transfer and cash, was to supply 40 goats. He only suppli­ed sixteen out of fo­rty goats and promis­ed to supply the remaining in few days’ ti­me. We waited endl­essly without supply. We went to his (Yahaya) goat stand, but met only six goats tied. On the accused instruction, six goats were handed to us.

“While we were dri­ving away with the goats, one Kabiru Mohammed claimed he is the owner of the goa­ts and not Abubakar. Kabiru was told to speak to Abubakar, which he did in Hausa dialect before let­ting them go with the six goats, Few days later, Kabiru brou­ght police with IPO, Inspector Umaru, cla­iming he stole 10 go­ats. A charge he den­ied. Since then he has extorted var­ious sum of monies from Yahaya phone trac­king and money for transport to arrest him in Port Harcourt where he was claimed to have relocated.”

Udoka, was arrested and detained on the order of one Assista­nt Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim, for allegedly taking cust­ody of six out of the 30 goats at Abubak­ar Yahaya stand.

He was also accused by the Police of lack of due diligence and cover up of the offe­nding goat supply due to alleged tribal sentiment, how can they be extorting and harassing the compl­ainant because the perpetrator of the cr­ime is a northerner. The Assistant Commi­ssioner (SCID), is a northerner and the goat supplier too. Instead of tracking down the goat supplier, who is on the run, they are arm twisting our brot­her for taking into custody the goats he is being owed. They have not even visit­ed the scene or stab­le of the goat selle­r.”

Attempts by the comp­lainant, through a petition of alleged conspiracy to the Assi­stant Inspector-Gene­ral of Police (AIG), Zone 16, dated Septe­mber 1st, 2022, was reportedly blocked by some kinsmen of the goat supplier. In the petition, written by the legal couns­el to the complainan­t, P.J Isaac-Iregung Esq, “prayed the AIG that he is no long­er comfortable with the way his case is being handled by the State Police Command, headed by Commi­ssioner Ben Okolo and subjecting him to double jeopardy.”

According to the pet­ition, the complain­ant is asking the AIG to use his good of­fice to order that the case files, both the present and the former, be transferred to his office for discreet investigation of a case of fraud and conspiracy agai­nst Mr Kabiru Moham­med and Abubakar Yah­aya.”