Following the ban on the movement of motorcycles between 7 pm and 6 am by the Gombe State Police Command last month to curb phone snatching and other crimes across the state, commercial motorcyclists in the state, popularly known as “Achaba”, have accused policemen of extortion.
Speaking with newsmen, the commercial motorcyclists have alleged that policemen deployed to enforce restrictions on motorcycles in the state are extorting them and other private users in the state.
A rider residing in the Kagarawal area of Gombe metropolis, Malam Ismail Kawu, stated that he was extorted twice, paying N3000 and N5000, respectively.
According to him, during one of the incidents, the police stopped him on his way home, around the Gombe State University gate, just a few minutes after 7 pm, and he was forced to give out the only N3,000 he had earned for the day.
Another commercial rider, Ibrahim Abdullahi, alleged that he paid N5,000 to the officers on duty attached to Gona Division, around Alheri Junction, who seized his motorcycle while he was returning home around 7 pm.
“I was not carrying any passengers, but I was rushing home to rest for the day, only for me to be stopped and have my bike seized.
“I was forced to pay N5,000 for nothing, leaving me with only N2000 to fend for my household. I am not against the ban, but it should carry a human face, because the level at which the police abuse their power is alarming.
“Because we are Nigerians, and we deserve respect as we are only doing our legitimate businesses and should not be harassed like this,” Abdullahi alleged.
Another rider, simply identified as Sani, urged the state government and the police command to monitor the enforcement of the ban so that the essence of the restrictions would be achieved.
He said, “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?
Other residents from the Nayi Nawa, Madaki, and Barunde areas of Gombe metropolis, who also made similar allegations, urged the police command to investigate the allegations.
When contacted, the Gombe Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, stated that across all the 47 checkpoints set up to enforce the ban in Gombe metropolis, no such issue was recorded, as senior officers are going round to monitor the operation.”
He, however, said the allegations would be investigated, and necessary actions would be taken against any erring officer.
DSP Abdullahi urged residents to support the police in ensuring security, adding that the measures put in place were yielding positive results.
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