The Nigerian Bar Association, Damaturu branch, has denounced the alleged assault of one of its members, Muhammad Muhammad Saminu, by officers attached to the Damagum Divisional Police Headquarters in Yobe State.
The incident was said to have occurred on February 23, 2026, while Saminu was representing a client at the police station in Damagum.
The association stated that the lawyer was at the facility in the course of his legitimate professional responsibilities when the alleged attack took place.
In a petition dated Tuesday and signed in Damaturu by the branch Chairman, Ahmad Khalil, the NBA formally protested the incident.
The petition was also copied to the State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ado.
Khalil in the petition, described the alledged assault as, “a flagrant violation of constitutional rights and and an attack on the administration of justice and fair play to the two parties.”
Providing details of the incident, the chairman stated: ” Mr. Saminu was at the Damagum Police Station in the lawful discharge of his professional duties as counsel to a detained client, when he was allegedly assaulted by some policemen at the Damagum Police Station.
The Damaturu NBA alleged that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Muhammad Abdullahi Baffah, along with officers under his supervision, subjected the lawyer to hostility, physical assault, and degrading treatment within the premises of the station.
Khalil further alledged: “Our member sustained multiple injuries and the destruction of his personal effects and property during the unwarranted assault on Saminu.”
The chairman also stated: “If these allegations are confirmed, the actions would amount to violations of the constitutional rights to dignity, personal liberty, and a fair hearing in a court of law.”
The association stressed that any obstruction of a lawyer in the performance of lawful duties poses a threat to the rule of law and erodes public trust in the nation’s justice system.
Consequently, the NBA called for an immediate, independent and transparent probe into the allegations. Khalil urged that officers found culpable be suspended and subjected to appropriate disciplinary measures in accordance with the Nigerian Police Act, including prosecution where criminal responsibility is established.
The association further demanded a written response from the police command within one week and reaffirmed its resolve to safeguard the rule of law and protect legal practitioners in the line of duty.
Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Dungus Abdulkarim, disclosed that the matter is under investigation.
He added that the Commissioner of Police was scheduled to meet with NBA officials on Tuesday in Damaturu.
