Trader Accuses Police of ₦600,000 Extortion, Seeks IGP’s Intervention

A trader based in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over alleged extortion, unlawful detention, and abuse of authority by officers attached to the Borno State Police Command.

The trader, Abbah Aliyu, alleged that he was arrested following a business dispute arising from a ginger transaction and subsequently detained for 11 days without being formally charged. In his petition, he claimed that police officers demanded ₦600,000 as a condition for his release, despite regulations stating that bail should be free.

Aliyu said the officers travelled from Borno State to Kaduna to arrest him, turning what he described as a civil commercial matter into a criminal case. He further alleged that he was subjected to intimidation during detention and threatened with transfer to a high-security facility if he failed to comply with the officers’ demands.

The trader also accused the officers of collaborating with another security agency to access his mobile phone and contact his relatives, from whom money was allegedly collected without his consent. He expressed loss of confidence in the Borno State Police Command and called on the Inspector-General to intervene, investigate the officers involved, and ensure accountability.