A senior magistrate in Taraba State has formally petitioned the state Attorney General, accusing the Divisional Police Officer in Ibi and his officers of disobeying a court order, interfering in a pending criminal case and unlawfully detaining the complainants.
Senior Magistrate T. Y. Atiku of the Upper Area Court in Ibi said police officers led by Sergeant Dauda Bitrus stormed his chambers on November 11, 2026, while the case of Tijjani & Ors v. Ukasha Kasimu (suit number UA.CI/CR/27/2026) was already before the court. The complainants—Tijjani Ibrahim Aminu, Ibrahim Aminu and Bello Ibrahim Aminu—had filed a direct criminal complaint that day accusing Ukasha Kasimu of criminal force and assault, defamation, criminal trespass and disturbance of public peace.
The court immediately issued an arrest warrant for the defendant. Around 10 a.m. the same day, Sergeant Bitrus entered the magistrate’s chambers and attempted to arrest the complainants, saying the defendant had lodged a counter-complaint at the police station. Atiku said he asked the officer for time to address the matter. The sergeant later returned, insisted the police needed to interview the complainants at the Ibi Police Division, and argued that the Upper Area Court lacked jurisdiction.
In an effort to resolve the dispute, the magistrate directed the police to take the complainants but ordered them to return with both parties within one hour so the court could formally mention the case. The officers refused. They took the complainants away and did not return. Atiku later discovered that the police had detained the complainants to face proceedings initiated by the defendant, who remained at large despite the court’s warrant.
The magistrate wrote to the DPO the same day directing him to produce the parties in court at 9 a.m. on November 12. When the court sat, the police failed to comply. Atiku further alleged that the DPO had already begun hearing the same dispute at the police division on November 11 and adjourned it for further witnesses—an action he described as an anomaly given that the matter was pending before a court of competent jurisdiction.
In his petition dated November 12, 2026 (reference UACI/AG/14/2026/VOL 1), Atiku called the incident an act of indiscipline and an embarrassing confrontation with the judiciary. He said it was disturbing that police officers could disregard the authority of a court and behave as though they had power to determine matters already before the judiciary. “It is funny that we still have police officers that don’t know that the court can give appropriate orders when the need arises,” he wrote.
The magistrate warned that such conduct could undermine the administration of justice and worsen insecurity in Southern Taraba. He appealed to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to intervene, draw the attention of the state Commissioner of Police to the matter, investigate the officers involved and recommend disciplinary sanctions. He also called for training platforms to remind police of the boundaries between investigation and judicial functions.
The petition was copied to the Chief Judge of Taraba State, the Commissioner of Police, the Chairman of the Magistrates Association of Nigeria (Taraba State), the chairmen of the Nigerian Bar Association branches in Jalingo and Wukari, and the Divisional Police Officer, Ibi.
A story of courage, wonder, and the transformative power of self-belief; perfect for readers aged 10+ who love adventure. To place order: +234 806 130 3237 | +234 803 582 0870 OR Tap the link to grab a copy:https://www.zeekapublish.com/product/the-magical-life-of-anna
