The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Gombe Branch, has accused the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Gombe, Emmanuel Agene, of alleged extortion and intimidation of lawyers and suspects.
The NBA called on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to investigate the allegations and take appropriate action if the AIG is found culpable.
The branch chairman, Alhassan Mu’azu, made the call on Wednesday after the branch’s monthly congress attended by leaders, elders and members of the association in Gombe.
Mu’azu said the allegations followed a complaint by a member of the branch, E.S. Tizhe, who represented Ahmed Shuaibu Gara at the FCID Annex in connection with an allegation of cyberbullying.
According to him, Tizhe visited the police facility to represent his client in line with the constitutional right of an accused person to legal representation.
“As a lawyer, constitutionally, by virtue of Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, every citizen has the right to choose his counsel to represent him, whether at the police station or in a court of law,” Mu’azu said.
He alleged that money was demanded before Gara could be released on bail, describing the alleged demand as unlawful and unconstitutional.
The NBA chairman said the branch subsequently constituted a committee of bar leaders and elders to investigate complaints concerning the activities of the FCID Annex.
“We have been gathering information. It is not only that of Tizhe. The branch had to constitute a committee of bar leaders and elders of the branch to investigate the activities and alleged extortion that is ongoing,” he said.
Mu’azu said the committee was compiling its findings and would submit its report to the appropriate authorities.
He further alleged that some lawyers had been embarrassed while representing their clients at the police facility, adding that complaints about demands for money had become recurring.
“We are condemning this in the strongest terms. We are calling on the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that these activities are properly investigated and that the AIG, if found wanting, must be prosecuted,” he said.
He added that the NBA was prepared to provide evidence to the police authorities if invited, insisting that the association would not be intimidated.
Mu’azu also disclosed that Tizhe had petitioned the IGP over the matter and that the petition was subsequently forwarded to the AIG for his response.
He alleged that following the petition, Agene repeatedly asked him to appear before him.
“The AIG kept calling me as the chairman of the branch that I should come, as if he wanted to arrest me. That is wrong,” Mu’azu said.
He said the NBA was awaiting the outcome of the IGP’s consideration of the petition, warning that the association could seek legal redress if no action was taken.
“If the Inspector-General of Police is not taking action, we are going to join hands with our President of the Nigerian Bar Association. We are going to ensure that we sue not only the AIG FCID Annex, but, if no action is taken, the entire Nigerian Police Force, including the Police Service Commission,” he said.
Lawyer alleges N700,000 payments
In his petition to the IGP dated September 7, 2026, Tizhe, of Habu Abdu & Co., alleged that his client was arrested on August 14, 2026, following a complaint bordering on criminal mischief and criminal defamation of character.
The lawyer alleged that after his client’s statement was taken, they were taken to the AIG’s office, where he claimed Agene demanded money for the suspect’s release.
Tizhe alleged in the petition that Gara initially paid N100,000 after the AIG allegedly indicated that the suspect would be granted bail.
He further alleged that he was asked to submit his Call to Bar certificate and NBA identification card as part of the bail process.
According to him, after a surety was produced, he returned to collect the documents but alleged that they were not immediately released to him.
Tizhe further alleged that his client was asked to pay another N100,000 on August 17, while he personally paid N500,000 on August 20 after allegedly being threatened.
The lawyer also alleged that complainants seeking investigation of criminal matters at the FCID Annex were required to pay between N50,000 and N100,000 to the AIG before their complaints could be acted upon.
He therefore urged the IGP to intervene and investigate what he described as alleged extortion at the FCID Annex in Gombe.
AIG denies allegation
However, Agene denied demanding or receiving money from Gara, the surety or the lawyer.
In his response to the petition, dated October 2, 2026 and addressed to the IGP, the AIG said the case involved an allegation of cyberbullying against Gara, who, according to him, made a statement in which he allegedly confessed to the offence.
Agene said Tizhe subsequently requested administrative bail for his client and was informed of the conditions for bail.
He explained that the lawyer initially offered to stand as the suspect’s surety but was informed that, as the suspect’s solicitor, he could not serve in that capacity.
According to him, Tizhe subsequently produced a police auditor, Usman Adamu, as surety.
Agene said he directed the lawyer to indicate that he knew the surety and to provide his Call to Bar certificate and identification card to facilitate the suspect’s production on August 17.
He maintained that the documents were voluntarily submitted and denied that their collection was connected to extortion.
“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,” Agene stated.
The AIG challenged the lawyer to produce evidence to substantiate the allegation that money was demanded or collected.
He also alleged that investigators later had difficulty reaching the surety after the suspect was released.
Agene further accused the lawyer and suspect of attempting to use social media to intimidate individuals in pursuit of financial compensation, claiming that similar allegations had previously been made against the FCID Annex in 2025.
Describing the allegation as an attempt to damage his reputation, Agene insisted that he neither demanded nor received money from the parties involved.
He also asked the lawyer to appear with the suspect and surety for continuation of the case.
The AIG warned that the lawyer could face legal action over alleged obstruction of an offender and defamation of character if the matter was not resolved.
