A Gombe-based lawyer, Ezekiel Samuel-Tizhe, and his client, businessman Ahmed Shuaibu-Gara, have sued the Nigerian Police Force and other respondents, demanding ₦50 million in damages over alleged unlawful arrest, intimidation, extortion and seizure of personal belongings.

The applicants are also seeking the release of a mobile phone, the lawyer’s call-to-bar certificate and his Nigerian Bar Association identity card, which they alleged were seized and withheld by police officers.

The suit, filed before the Federal High Court in Gombe, named the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Gombe State, Emmanuel Egene; the Police Service Commission; Tanko Isiyaku Gwamna; and an investigating police officer, ASP Abubakar Balarabe, as respondents.

In their application dated October 25, 2026, the applicants challenged an arrest warrant issued by Chief Magistrate Court No. 15, Gombe, over a Facebook publication allegedly bordering on cybercrime and criminal defamation.

They argued that the magistrate’s court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, insisting that the alleged actions of the police violated their fundamental rights under Sections 34, 35, 36, 37, 41 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The dispute reportedly followed a Facebook article published by Gara on August 12, 2026, titled “Gombe, Gombawa and Matters Arising (12): H.E. Sen. Danjuma Goje: Wrong Diagnosis Leads to Bad Prescription.”

In a separate court document dated August 13, the complainant alleged that the publication contained defamatory statements capable of exposing him to hatred, ridicule and contempt, as well as damaging his professional reputation.

The complainant also urged the court to consider alleged offences of criminal mischief and criminal defamation under Sections 327 and 391 of the Penal Code Law.

However, Gara and his lawyer accused the police of collecting ₦700,000 from them as bail money and confiscating the businessman’s mobile phone despite the provision of a surety.

They further alleged that officers withheld Samuel-Tizhe’s call-to-bar certificate and NBA identity card even after a surety had been provided.

The applicants also accused the police of sending threatening text messages to the surety’s wife, claiming that the communication amounted to an infringement of her right to privacy.

Among the reliefs sought, they are asking the court to order the respondents to refund the alleged ₦700,000 bail payment, release the seized belongings and pay $2,500 as compensation for losses allegedly suffered following the confiscation of Gara’s mobile phone.

They are also seeking an order restraining the respondents from further interfering with their fundamental rights and compelling them to publish a public apology in two national newspapers.

In a related development, Chief Magistrate Court 14, sitting in Tumfure, Gombe, issued an interim order on October 29 restraining the police from further arresting, intimidating or harassing Gara or his surety over the dispute.

The order, issued by Chief Magistrate Umar Jani-Bello, directed the police and officers acting under their authority to desist from conduct intended to unlawfully intimidate or harass the businessman and his surety.

The court subsequently referred the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Gombe State Police Command for investigation.

The interim order is to remain in force pending further directives of the court.

The allegations against the police and the legal challenge to the arrest warrant are yet to be determined by the Federal High Court.