Members of the Arewa Traders Association (ATA) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have accused the police of torture and extortion while trying to recover stolen gold valued at over N700 million.
The incident began with the arrest of 34 individuals by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) under the command of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun. Those detained include gold merchants from Wuse Market, Abuja, and several Point of Sale (PoS) operators involved in transactions related to the alleged theft.
The accusations were detailed in a petition to Amnesty International, highlighting illegal detentions and human rights violations by the IRT.
The stolen gold, reportedly belonging to a Chief Superintendent of Police known as Bukky, was said to have been taken from a police officer’s residence in Abuja. The gold was allegedly traced to Wuse Market, where transactions involving a prime suspect named Alhaji Auwal occurred.
The petition also claimed that those arrested, including members of the Gold Dealers Association and PoS operators, were mistreated by the IRT in their efforts to recover the stolen gold. ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Police Force spokesman, refuted reports of a burglary at the IGP’s residence, clarifying that the incident took place at a police officer’s residence in Abuja.
He mentioned that investigations linked Auwal and his associates to a larger syndicate involved in dealing with stolen jewelry, connecting them to previous similar cases in the FCT.
The police spokesperson confirmed that all arrests were carried out in accordance with the law and court orders, highlighting the Nigeria Police Force’s dedication to upholding due process and justice. On the other hand, Isa Usman, Deputy Chairman of ATA FCT, raised concerns about the alleged mistreatment of their members during the police operation at Wuse Market. Usman stated that many of those detained are still in custody without formal charges, almost a month after the incident.
Despite a court injunction obtained on their behalf, efforts to secure bail for the suspects have reportedly faced obstacles. The ATA continues to protest what they view as unfair treatment by the police, calling for a just resolution to the matter.
