Following the ban on motorcycle movement at night in Gombe State, some commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as Okada or Achaba riders, have alleged extortion by police officers in certain parts of the state in the name of enforcing the order.

Our correspondent reports that, over the past couple of weeks, police have restricted the use of motorcycles across the state capital from 7 am to 6 pm, attributing this development to a measure aimed at curbing phone snatching and thuggery in the state.

However, commercial motorcyclists accused policemen of extorting money from them, particularly those riding close to the restricted time.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, they said policemen allegedly demand sums ranging from N3,000 to N5,000.

An achaba rider, Malam Ismail Kawu from Kagarawal community in Gombe metropolis, shared his experience.

He claimed that police officers demanded and collected N3,000 and N5,000 from him on two different occasions as he tried to head home just before the restriction enforcement time.

“I was on my way home after the Gombe State University gate when I was stopped by police officers around 6.50 pm and forced to give out the only N3,000 I earned for the day,” he lamented.

Another rider, Ibrahim Abdul, said he faced similar extortion when policemen allegedly took the sum of N5,000 from him after they confiscated his bike while he was returning home from his day’s job around 7 pm.

“I was riding home to rest for the day, only for me to be stopped and my bike seized. I was forced to pay N5,000 to go with my bike,” he lamented.

When contacted for comment on the allegations, police spokesperson for the state police headquarters, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, denied receiving any report on the alleged extortion of the motorcyclists.

He said there are 47 checkpoints set up to enforce the ban in the state capital, adding that senior officers go around to supervise the enforcement and that no such issue has ever been reported to the command.

The spokesperson, however, pledged that the matter would be investigated.