NIGERIA POLICE FORCE (NPF) BRUTALITY: MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

The need to have a vibrant, disciplined, well-equipped, and strong police acting with utmost professionalism can never be overemphasized. As a country, Nigeria is bedeviled with a plethora of insecurity challenges, an increase in social vices, 419, banditry, and all kinds of small and large manifestations of criminal behaviors all across the length and breadth of the federation.

No doubt, the Nigeria Police Force seems to be overwhelmed by the myriads of challenges they’re facing daily, ranging from a shortage of manpower, underfunding by the government, over-centralization, and the rest of them, their unprofessional behaviors as they carry out their service is too glaring and nauseating. The bad eggs in the noble Nigeria Police Force (NPF) are rendering the effort of the honest hard hardworking, professional, and dedicated ones somewhat futile. The mantra, “police is your friend” has literally become an aberration in the ears of most Nigerians due to so many human rights abuses and brutal approaches in the discharge of the duties of the men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

For a little over one month now I have been through hell in the hands of the Nigeria Police Force. Hence, in this short piece I intend to briefly narrate my ordeal with the hope that it will get to the ear of political leaders so that drastic measures will be taken to eliminate or drastically reduce the high-handedness and the unlawful act of brutality by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

On the 11th of January 2025, a potential customer named Alh Abubakar Mai Taki called me to request my company to supply maize to him which I told him we don’t supply now for many challenges faced in the past(supply in this context is a situation where a company or individual takes his grains to another company on request for sale which after an agreed time upon reception the receiving company will pay). The only way he can buy grains from my company is to come to the store, inspect the grains, pay and pick. He insisted and I also insisted on the basis that it’s a company policy which can’t be changed at least for now. In keeping to our terms, the following day he sent his boy to inspect the maize via my staff. Upon inspection, he requested for account details to send the money after price bargain, I then send him the account details. After waiting for hours he didn’t send the money which I ordered my staff to lock the store and leave.

On the 13th of January 2025, the following day, he called and apologized that he experienced network issues which hindered him from doing the transfer. He then said he has transferred a part payment of ten million remaining a balance of #3,061,00 as the sum was #13,061,000. After checking my account I noticed no money entered hence I quickly forwarded the receipt he sent to me to my bank manager which he confirmed that nothing entered my account. I quickly got back to him and gave my staff firm instruction not to allow any maize to be picked as he hasn’t sent the money and to lock the store.

Fast-forward, the following day, the 14th of January 2025, the boys to Alh Abubakar Mai Taki got my staff arrested and detained by the Nigeria Police Force of Giwa Police Divisional Headquarters because he refused to allow them pick the maize they claimed to have made payment for. When our lawyer went to the police station they refused to neither listen to him nor release my staff on bail. At about 8:00pm of the same day in my absence the police came to my house with guns and attempted to forcefully entered my house to pick me for no just course (no invitation, no any official communication whatsoever). Upon noticing I wasn’t around they left a message that the owner of the house was needed in the police station the following day.

On the 15th of January 2025, we went to the station along with my lawyer. After the police at Giwa Police Divisional Hqts interrogated us they came to a conclusion that no payment was made to me but that the complainant was actually duped (419) by another person hence I was right not to order/allow for the release of my company maize. However, the police insisted I must pay a large sums of money for them “to do their work”(extortion ) even after discovering my staff and I were not guilty. When I refused on the counsel of my lawyer, I was also detained. Certainly, detention as a law abiding citizen wasn’t something I could ever imagine so I quickly pay them the money they requested and we left.

On the 17th of January 2025, my staff was invited to the Zaria Police Command (under Kaduna state of Nigeria). Upon arrival he was told that his boss(myself) is also needed. When he told me the development I quickly went. With immediate effect and without any form of fair hearing, we were detained instantly. After spending hours in detention we were then called to write statement. The most shocking thing was that, the police attempted to force me to write that I received payment for maize and I refused to give order for the release of the product( something absolutely contrary to what transpired). I couldn’t imagine this happened live not in a movie where police will attempt to force a suspect to say what they think instead of what actually transpired. To cut the long story short amidst so much intimidation, brutalization, abuses and insult I wrote my statement after which we were released on administrative bail to come back on Monday the 20th of January 2025.

Upon our returned by 9am, we were told that the Area Commandant wants to hear from us. We waited till about 4pm before he(Area Commandant) arrived. When we appeared before him (Area Commandant), he swallowed all that the complainant said and vehemently refused to hear our own side of the story. He called me and my staff criminals, 419, and cheats and that I must either allow the maize be picked or pay back the one #10,500,000 million the complainant claimed to have sent to my account. I was shocked. He said if I refused I will rote in detention/cell. Upon my refusal, he ordered his men to put us in cell. After spending a day in cell, he sent us to court (Magistrate Court Cediya presided by one Judge Muhammad Maigamo in Cediya GRA Zaria Kaduna State). He requested the court to grant him right to continue detaining us for two weeks in the pretence of carrying out “investigation“. My lawyers pleaded for our bail but he sadly refused and gave the Zaria Area Commandant in person of Muhammad Bello Lawal the right to continue detaining us for one week. My bank manager and many well-meaning Nigerians came and testified that I am a person of good character and that since the said transfer was done electronically, investigation not detention should be the way forward but the Area Commandant for reasons best known to him refused.

After spending three days in detention, the police of Zaria Area Command under the leadership of Muhammad Bello Lawal the Area Commandant went to my company store and forcefully broke it and picked out all the maize in the store. Having picked the maize by force(brutality at its pick), they requested us to pay the sum of #400,000 and #100,000 for bail and tracking of the person that duped (419) the complainant respectively (extortion at its highest). Because of the extreme torture, we had to pay after which we were granted bail again.(Bail upon bail something that’s not done- detaining someone’s on bail who hasn’t violated bail terms).

It’s not only that my company maize (worth over #15,000,000) was forcefully taken but that it was deposited in an open space under the destructive effect of sunlight, rodents and all kinds of pests. It was first taken to the Zaria Police Command and later moved to Magistrate Court Cediya GRA Zaria Kaduna State and has remained there since 23rd January, 2025.

Going through this narrative which is highly summarized compared to the details of the extreme torture, dehumanization, victimisation, absence of fair hearing and brutal experience I went through in the hands of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) you may say I went through hell. While it is true but the more truth is that while in detention I met with uncountable Nigerians who are going through unjust detention and possible imprisonment far higher than mine. Many are dying in the cell without even knowing what offense they have committed and without the knowledge of any of their relatives as they’re denied communicating with any. If you’re a Nigerian reading this piece and your relation is missing for years and you’re thinking may be he’s dead or in the hands of bandits or terrorist, be calm visit as many as Nigeria Police stations you can locate especially Zaria Area command, he/she is likely to be there.

Although I was traumatized by the horrible experience in the hands of those who were ironically sadddled by the constitution with the responsibility of protection of lives and properties of law abiding Nigerians, I was even more disturbed by the millions of helpless Nigerians who are suffering and rotting in the hands of the police with no one to speak for them.

I had never in my entire life ever desire to leave Nigeria (japa) for whatever juicy opportunity till now. In the past, I had several opportunities to leave out of this country but I refused because of my firm believe in the bright shining future of the country. As a University Lecturer with The Department of Polical Science and as a farmer, I had devoted larger part of my life speaking to the youth especially as to why they wouldn’t need to japa to excel as there’s hope for Nigeria in different platforms/conferences across the federation. However, this horrible unjust experience in the hands of the police almost crash my drive.

I chose to make this public for a number of reasons. First that the authority responsible should know and take drastic step to stop this evil. Secondly, to encourage the Nigerians especial the youth that there’s still hope for Nigeria nonetheless. Thirdly, to inform Nigerians whose relations are missing to look out for them in Nigeria Police stations. And lastly to call on all well-meaning Nigerians in the corridors of power to come to my aid. My farming/agric business which I laboured assiduously to build for over 9-years is on the verge of collapse as a result of the unjust brutal, and extortive action of the men and officers of the Nigeria Police in Giwa divisional Hqts and Zaria Police Command. I am rendered helpless as they have not only sucked every finance out of me but have also thrown away my company’s maize belonging to my INVESTORs worth over fifteen million naira (N15,000,000) under the destruction of the sunlight, rodents, thieves and pests in an open space. It will gladdens my heart if God uses you to come to my aid which I believe will encourage many Nigerian youth who still have hope in the future of this “great” country. Let justice be served for the culprit. Let justice be done for me. Let justice prevail for the common man in Nigeria.

Umar Philip,
A Lecturer with the Department of Political Science and CEO US Grains LTD.