Police deny report alleging officers’ involvement in robbery

The Yobe State Police Command has denied a media report alleging that two of its personnel were involved in Potiskum robbery.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the State Command, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, in a statement in Damaturu on Friday, indicated that the command denied shielding the accused policemen and disrupting court proceeding.

He described the report published on November 7, with the title, “Police disrupt court proceeding, take out colleagues accused of robbery in Yobe” as “misleading and malicious.

“No police personnel invaded any magistrate’s court to free arraigned accused.

“We have no record of robbery incidents involving police personnel in Potiskum or any local government area in the state.

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“To set the records straight, on February 23, at 1630hrs, an accident occurred at Zangon Alhazai area of Potiskum, involving a truck and a motorcycle.

“ASC Abubakar Umar of the Nigerian Correctional Service solicited bail for the driver, which was granted.

“However, police refused to release the vehicle as the victim was still receiving treatment, while still investigating reckless and dangerous driving.

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“This led to a fracas, resulting in Umar’s arrest for obstruction,” Abdulkarim said.

The Area Commander, exercising procedural diligence, directed the personnel to return to the station as the case involved enforcement of Fundamental Human Rights, a high-calibre matter beyond the magistrate’s jurisdiction.

“At no point did police personnel invade the court or forcibly retrieve colleagues,” he said.

He urged the newspaper in question to retract the report immediately and tender an unreserved apology to the command or face legal action.

The state chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had earlier requested the Commissioner of Police, Garba Ahmed, to investigate and prosecute the area commander.

NBA State Chairperson, Mrs Altine Ibrahim, stated that the union also demanded the police to obey court order and return the personnel in question to the Medium Correctional Centre, Potiskum.

She described the police’s action as an “unacceptable invasion of the court,” saying that “nobody is above the law.”

NAN