A Minna-based legal practitioner, Barrister Abdul-Khaliq Abubakar Gimba, has raised the alarm over alleged threats and intimidation by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Muhammed Abdulkareem.
The senior police officer, who serves as the Unit Commander of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit in Abuja, allegedly threatened to “deal with” the lawyer for advising his clients not to honour a police invitation—despite a subsisting court order restraining the police from making any arrest.
According to a petition submitted to the head of the IGP Monitoring Unit in Abuja, and obtained by our reporter, Justice Balkisu Gambo Yusuf of Minna High Court 7 has scheduled the hearing of the fundamental human rights case for Monday, July 7, 2025.
The petition, signed by Barrister Celestine Audu, stated that the court had already issued an order restraining the police and other security agencies from arresting Gimba’s clients—Ahmed Abdullahi and Salisu Usman Mohammed—who are under investigation by the IGP Monitoring Squad in Abuja.
The petition further revealed that on July 7, 2025, the court reaffirmed its position that “the police should, under no circumstances whatsoever, arrest, harass, or intimidate the applicants until the final determination of the suit.”
“We wish to remind you that the case regarding Ahmed Abdullahi and Salisu Usman Mohammed—currently being investigated by your office—came up in court on July 7, 2025. We strongly believe your office is aware of this, yet CSP Muhammed Abdulkareem appears to be ignoring the court’s decision to obstruct Barrister Abdul-Khaliq Abubakar Gimba from diligently prosecuting the case,” the petition read.
The petition also accused CSP Abdulkareem of disregarding the court order served on his office by continuing to send invitations related to the matter and threatening the legal practitioner directly.
Barrister Gimba alleged that the officer phoned him after a failed attempt to arrest his clients, hurled insults at him, and warned that he would “deal with him.”
“We were reliably informed that CSP Abdulkareem boasted in his office that he would deal with me when I come to Abuja. And if I fail to come, he will obtain an arrest warrant just to punish me for doing my job as a legal practitioner,” Gimba alleged.
He added that the police officer was also aware that the parties involved were considering an out-of-court settlement. “Yet, CSP Abdulkareem still threatened to go after me,” he said.
The lawyer described the police officer’s conduct and utterances as unprofessional and personal, pointing to a possible vendetta.
“As a senior police officer, your office is fully aware of the legal implications of violating a valid and subsisting court order—ranging from intimidation and threats to abuse of office,” he added.
Barrister Gimba concluded that if the threats, intimidation, and insults from CSP Abdulkareem persist, he would take all legitimate steps to ensure his protection and seek redress from the Police Service Commission (PSC).
By Uthman Baba-Sirajdeen, Minna
