The Nigerian Bar Association, Gombe Branch, has accused the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Gombe, AIG Emmanuel Agene, of alleged extortion and intimidation of lawyers and suspects, calling on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to investigate the allegations.
The branch chairman, Barrister Alhassan Mu’azu, made the allegation on Wednesday after the branch’s monthly congress attended by leaders, elders and members of the association in Gombe.
Mu’azu said the controversy followed a complaint by one of the branch’s members, E.S. Tizhe, who represented Ahmed Shuaibu Gara at the FCID Annex, Gombe, over allegations of cyberbullying.
According to him, the lawyer had gone to the police facility to represent his client in accordance with the constitutional right of an accused person to counsel.
“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 the AIG demanded money before Gara could be released on bail, describing the alleged demand as “unheard of, unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional.”
Mu’azu said the branch subsequently constituted a committee comprising bar leaders and elders to investigate complaints concerning the activities of the FCID Annex and that the committee had gathered information from other alleged victims.
“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.
He said the committee was preparing its report and would make its findings available to the appropriate authorities.
Mu’azu further alleged that some lawyers had been embarrassed while representing their clients at the police facility, claiming that the demand for money had become a recurring issue.
“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.
The NBA chairman said the branch was prepared to present evidence to the police authorities if invited, adding that the association would not be intimidated.
Mu’azu also disclosed that Tizhe had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over the matter and that the petition was subsequently forwarded to the AIG for his comments.
He alleged that following the petition, the AIG contacted him and 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 added that the NBA was awaiting the outcome of the IGP’s consideration of the matter.
“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 Inspector-General of Police dated September 7, 2026, Tizhe, of Habu Abdu & Co., alleged that his client was arrested on August 14, 2026, in connection with a complaint over 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.
According to the petition, “the AIG promised me, E.S. Tizhe Esq., counsel to the petitioner, that he will grant the bail of my client to me and asked my client to drop some money,” alleging that the suspect initially paid N100,000.
Tizhe further alleged that he was asked to submit his Call to Bar certificate and NBA identification card as part of the bail process.
He said that after a surety was produced, he returned to request the documents but alleged that they were not immediately returned to him.
The lawyer also alleged that on August 17, his client was asked for another payment of N100,000 and that on August 20, he personally paid N500,000 after allegedly being threatened.
“In Gombe State, you cannot file a complaint or for court to send a direct criminal complaint for investigation to FCID Annex without the complainant depositing the sum of N50,000 to N100,000 to the AIG directly, before investigation,” the petition alleged.
Tizhe therefore urged the Inspector-General of Police to intervene and investigate what he described as alleged extortion at the FCID Annex, Gombe.
AIG denies extortion allegation
However, in his response to the petition, Agene denied demanding or receiving money from the suspect, his surety or the lawyer.
In a letter dated October 2, 2026, addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, Agene said the case involved an allegation of cyberbullying against Gara and that the suspect had made a statement in which he allegedly confessed to the offence.
The AIG said the lawyer had requested administrative bail for his client and that the conditions for bail were communicated to the suspect.
He said the lawyer initially offered to stand as the suspect’s surety but was informed that, as the suspect’s solicitor, he could not act as surety.
According to Agene, the lawyer subsequently produced a police auditor, Usman Adamu, as surety.
The AIG said he directed that the lawyer indicate that he knew the surety and provide his Call to Bar certificate and identification card to ensure the suspect’s production on August 17.
He maintained that the documents were voluntarily submitted and denied that the action 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.
He challenged the lawyer to produce evidence if any money had been demanded or collected.
“If there is, the solicitor should provide evidence. This is just an allegation of a mire drowning solicitor,” the AIG said.
Agene also alleged that efforts by investigators to reach the surety after the suspect’s release were unsuccessful.
He further accused the lawyer and the suspect of attempting to intimidate people through social media for financial compensation, alleging that similar accusations had been made against the FCID Annex in 2025.
The AIG described the extortion allegation as an attempt to damage his reputation after years of service in the police force.
“Is this now at the apex of my career I will descend so low to demanding or receiving the sum of fifty thousand naira only, N50,000, as alleged from a drowning solicitor?” he asked.
Agene insisted that he had not demanded or received money from the parties involved and said the lawyer should appear with the suspect and surety for the continuation of the case.
He also threatened legal action, saying the solicitor could face charges relating to alleged obstruction of an offender and defamation of character if the matter was not resolved.