A ginger farmer and trader, Babangida Aliyu from Kafanchan, has accused officers of the Borno State Police Crack Squad, working with a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officer, of unlawful detention, intimidation and extortion over what he described as a simple business disagreement with a buyer.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, Babangida said the problem started in April 2025 after he sold 40 bags of ginger to Bakura Kajima, a trader based in Maiduguri, Borno State.
According to him, the deal was transparent and done at the prevailing market prices. He said broken ginger was sold at N350,000 per bag, while normal ginger was sold at N450,000 per bag. The transaction, he added, was witnessed by Alhaji Yaro Shaibu, who introduced the buyer to him.
Babangida said Kajima paid the full amount and took delivery of the ginger.
However, he claimed that weeks later, after the buyer had sold the goods, Kajima returned to say he never bought the ginger at those prices.
“To keep the peace, I told him to return my goods and I would refund his money in full. That was where the discussion ended,” Babangida said.
He alleged that on August 28, police officers from Maiduguri came to Kafanchan, Kaduna State, and arrested him.
“They said they were only investigating a complaint. Although people around tried to resist, I followed them peacefully because I knew I had done nothing wrong,” he said.
Babangida claimed that once he arrived at the Borno State Police Crack Squad, the situation changed.
“I asked to see the petition against me, but they refused. They only said the complainant claimed he gave me N8.9 million and that I did not supply any goods,” he said.
He insisted the allegation was false, stressing that the ginger was delivered and that the transaction was well known in the market.
He further alleged that after selling the ginger, the complainant reduced the prices he originally paid, claiming broken ginger was N280,000 per bag and normal ginger N250,000 per bag.
Babangida said he asked the police to investigate properly, but they allegedly insisted he must refund the money.
He claimed he was detained for 11 days and threatened repeatedly.
“They told me I would not be released unless I paid the money back. I kept asking how I could refund money when my goods had already been sold,” he said.
According to him, when he demanded that the goods be returned before any refund, the police told him the buyer had already sold them.
Babangida also alleged that the Investigating Police Officer threatened to send him to Boko Haram custody if he refused to comply.
He said his phone was seized and he was denied access to make calls for five days.
He further accused an NSCDC officer, Aliyu Tanimu Amfani, of working with the complainant to pressure his family members while he was in detention.
He claimed that N3 million was collected from his relatives Danladi Makadi and Fatima Abdullahi and transferred directly to the complainant without his consent.
Babangida also alleged that police officers extorted N600,000 from him, naming the Area Officer and the IPO, Inspector Musa Joseph, also known as Musa Goge. He said receipts were issued for the payments.
In addition, Babangida said that while he was still in detention in Maiduguri, an agreement titled “Commitment to Pay Debt,” dated September 4, 2025, was signed in Kafanchan by his relatives without his knowledge or approval.
The agreement reportedly acknowledged the N3 million already paid and committed his relatives to paying an additional N5.955 million within two months.
“I was in custody in Borno when this document was signed in Kaduna. I never authorised it,” he said, describing the action as illegal.
Babangida described the entire incident as a serious abuse of power.
“You cannot take someone’s goods, sell them, and then use the police to collect money again. That is robbery in uniform,” he said.
He called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission, and human rights organisations to investigate the actions of the police officers and the NSCDC official involved.
