SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Federal Intelligence Bureau of the Nigeria Police Force invited Mahmud over his petition to anti-corruption bodies, asking them to probe ACP Mohammed and Police Adviser, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) for the alleged intimidation, abuse of office and purchase of N18 million properties.
A human rights advocacy organisation, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), has written to the Acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun, asking him to investigate and caution an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Amabua Mohammed, over the alleged harassment of a public advocacy lawyer, Abdul Mahmud Aminu.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Federal Intelligence Bureau of the Nigeria Police Force invited Mahmud over his petition to anti-corruption bodies, asking them to probe ACP Mohammed and Police Adviser, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) for the alleged intimidation, abuse of office and purchase of N18 million properties.
Nigeria Police Invite Petitioner, Abdul Mahmud For Questioning For Seeking Probe Of Assistant Police Commissioner, Amabua Mohammed, Over Alleged Intimidation, Abuse Of Office, Purchase Of N18Million Worth Of Properties | Sahara Reporters https://t.co/6naukq72vk pic.twitter.com/UbDuKyPsvk
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) August 27, 2023
Mahmud had petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Code Of Conduct Bureau and the Police Service Commission under the aegis of a public interest advocate group, Public Interest Lawyers League, asking them to investigate Amabua.
The lawyer in his petition noted that ACP Mohammed “illegally acquired twin two bedrooms bungalows, valued at Nine Million Naira (N9,000,000.00) each, with Plots Numbers 135A and 135B at Fatima Gold Estate, Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
“The monthly and or yearly income attributable to an Assistant Commissioner of Police cannot or conceivably amount to the total value of the aforementioned properties except they were acquired through corrupt practices.”
He accused ACP Mohammed of using her position as a serving Assistant Commissioner of Police to “gain an unfair advantage when, on June 27, 2023, she directed officers from the Abacha Road Police Station, led by Inspector Sola Olalekan, to arrest the petitioner on false charges of assault, criminal trespass, burglary, and disconnection of electricity”.
However, in a letter dated August 24, 2023, with reference number: CR: 3000/CIU/FIB/FHQ/ABJ/VOLT/389 and addressed to Mr Mahmud Abdul Aminu, the FIB invited Abdul Mahmud to come to its office in Abuja on Monday for questioning.
The letter signed by ACP Mohammed Lawan (CIU) for the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Force Intelligence Bureau, stated that the invitation is based on a case of cyberbullying and threat to life and extortion, noting that Abdul Mahmud’s name featured prominently in the case.
But RULAAC in its letter signed by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, and addressed to the IGP on Saturday, said that Mahmud has already been arrested on the order of ACP Mohammed and that while the lawyer is already standing trial on "trumped-up" charges at the Magistrate Court at the Muhammadu Buhari International Market, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, he is still being harassed by the police.
"RULAAC calls on the IGP to call ACP Amabua Mohammed to order and to order an end to misuse of police powers and the involvement of the police in vendetta," the title of the letter reads.
The letter further reads, "In particular, RULAAC calls on the IGP to order a prompt and impartial investigation into the outcry by a public interest lawyer and human rights activist, Abdul Mahmud Esq., of continuing harassment of his person, at the instance of one ACP Amabua Mohammed over a matter the same ACP had previously instigated his arrest and for which he is presently standing trial at the Magistrate Court sitting at the Muhammadu Buhari International Market, Mararaba, Nasarawa State"
According to RULAAC, Mahmud narrated that on June 25, 2023, he met two female police officers who are aides of ACP Amabua Mohammed (owner of two properties in the Estate he resides) assaulting a security officer at the gate of the Estate.
"It said, "He parked and walked to the scene and asked the security officer what was going on. He told him that the sister of the ACP claimed he locked her inside the house.
"The security officer denied ever going to her property. He (Abdul Mahmud) turned to the sister of the ACP and asked her if she was locked in, but she didn't answer. He asked the two female officers if they had a warrant of arrest, they said they didn't and that he should speak with the ACP who was inside a police car.
"He told the female officers to reach out to the chairman of the estate before the officer could be taken out and he left for church.
"On his way back from church after a few hours, he met a large crowd at the gate with a reinforced detachment of armed police officers. There was a shouting match between the ACP and the crowd that resisted any attempt to arrest security officers on duty.
"No sooner had the ACP sighted him, she walked up to him and grabbed him by the collars of his shirt, claiming he prevented a lawful arrest earlier.
"He told her she had no warrant and that the alleged offence was not committed in her presence, so she can't make an arrest without a warrant. He didn't even touch her.
"The ACP left, seeing that she couldn't effect the arrest. A few days later, on the eve of the Sallah, officers turned up at his home to arrest him with a warrant. His arrest became a public issue and he was granted bail after the intervention of the Force HQ.
"He was later charged to court on trumped-up charges of conspiracy, assault, trespass and resisting lawful arrest. The trial is ongoing at the Magistrate Court sitting at the Muhammadu Buhari International Market, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, with Okutepa (SAN) and Ibrahim (SAN) representing him.
"To his utter shock, he has received an invitation from the police in their continuing harassment of his person, at the instance of the selfsame ACP Amabua Mohammed.
"He believes that, rather than open up another channel - which amounts to abuse of process, the ACP should allow his ongoing trial in which his lawyers, Okutepa and Ibrahim are representing him, to continue to conclusion."
The RULAAC letter further states: "He further informed us that, suspicious of the fact that the property worth N18m the ACP claims she owns may be illegally acquired as a public servant, he petitioned the ICPC and Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate both properties. She has now resorted to harassment using the instrumentality of the Police Force HQ, alleging cyberbullying, threat to life and extortion.
"He believes that if anybody's life is threatened, it is his life. The officers from the Counter Intelligence Unit of the FIB that delivered the letter of invitation to him told the security officers at the gate that they were going to see the ACP but rather drove to his home. Clearly, they deliberately breached security protocol at the Estate gates."
RULAAC, therefore, called on the IGP to stop the harassment of Abdul Mahmud by the police and caution ACP Amabua Mohammed.
"She should be directed to allow the court to conclude the ongoing trial of the complainant based on her earlier allegations against him.
"We call for investigation of the allegation of incivility against ACP Amabua i.e. that he grabbed the complainant by the collars of his shirt, claiming he prevented a lawful arrest earlier," RULAAC added.