Commercial motorcycle riders in Gombe State, popularly known as ‘Mai Achaba’, have accused police officers of extortion while enforcing the state-imposed motorcycle curfew.
The curfew, which restricts motorcycle operations between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., was introduced on June 11 by the Gombe State Police Command to tackle insecurity.
However, several riders allege that officers are using the directive as an opportunity to demand bribes.
Malam Ismail Kawu, a rider from the Kagarawal community in Gombe metropolis, claimed he was extorted twice while riding shortly before the curfew began.
“Once, I was stopped at 6:50 p.m. near the university gate and forced to hand over N3,000.
On another occasion, they took N5,000 from me. It’s unfair,” he said.
Another rider, Ibrahim Abdul, said police officers from Gona Division seized his motorcycle at around 7:00 p.m. near Corner Alheri and demanded N5,000 for its release.
“I was heading home without a passenger.
I had only N2,000 left to feed my family,” he said. “I support the curfew, but the way it’s being enforced is troubling.”
A third rider, who spoke anonymously, criticized the enforcement as lacking transparency and fairness.
“If the goal is to reduce crime, extorting innocent citizens defeats the purpose.
Authorities must ensure the law is enforced justly,” he said.
Similar complaints were reported by riders from Nayi Nawa, Madaki, and Barunde areas, all calling for government intervention.
In response, the Police Public Relations Officer, Buhari Abdullahi, said no formal complaint of extortion had been received but assured that the command would investigate any such claims.
“We have 47 checkpoints monitored by senior officers.
If any officer is found guilty of misconduct, they will be sanctioned,” Abdullahi said, urging residents to support ongoing efforts to maintain security.