National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The Yobe State Police Command has denied an online media report alleging that two of its officers were involved in a robbery in Potiskum, describing the claims as “misleading and malicious.”
In a statement released on Friday in Damaturu, the Police Command’s spokesman, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, also rejected the allegation that the police had disrupted court proceedings or shielded the accused officers.
The report, published on November 7 with the headline “Police disrupt court proceedings, take out colleagues accused of robbery in Yobe,” was immediately refuted by the command.
“No police personnel invaded any magistrate’s court to free the arraigned accused,” Abdulkarim said, stressing that the police had no record of any robbery involving its officers in Potiskum or any other part of Yobe State.
To clarify the situation, Abdulkarim explained that an incident occurred on February 23 at 4:30 pm in the Zangon Alhazai area of Potiskum, involving a collision between a truck and a motorcycle.
“ASC Abubakar Umar of the Nigerian Correctional Service had requested bail for the driver involved, which was granted. However, the police refused to release the vehicle as the victim was still receiving medical treatment and investigations into reckless and dangerous driving were ongoing,” he added.
Abdulkarim further explained that the dispute escalated into a fracas, which led to Umar’s arrest for obstruction.
“The Area Commander, following proper procedures, directed the officers to return to the station as the case involved the enforcement of Fundamental Human Rights, a matter beyond the magistrate’s jurisdiction,” he said.
The police spokesman categorically stated, “At no point did police personnel invade the court or forcibly retrieve colleagues,” urging the media outlet to retract the false report and apologize unreservedly.
He warned that legal action would be pursued if the retraction was not made.
Meanwhile, the Yobe State chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Garba Ahmed, to investigate the area commander involved and prosecute him accordingly.
In a statement to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), NBA Chairperson Mrs. Altine Ibrahim condemned the police actions, describing them as an “unacceptable invasion of the court.”
She emphasized, “Nobody is above the law,” and demanded that the police obey court orders by returning the personnel in question to the Medium Correctional Centre in Potiskum.
The dispute remains a point of tension as both the police and legal practitioners await further developments.
