The widow of a serving police inspector, Ahmadu Babayo, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), alleging that her husband was detained for 35 days, released in critical condition and died two days later.
In the petition dated October 28, 2026, Mrs Fatima Ibrahim Jalo demanded an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her husband’s death, accusing senior police officers of involvement in, or failure to prevent, his alleged unlawful detention.
Babayo, who served with the State Intelligence Department at the Borno State Police Command headquarters in Maiduguri, was allegedly taken into custody on September 21 and released on October 26 without being arraigned before a court or presented with a lawful order authorising his continued detention.
The widow alleged that Assistant Inspector-General of Police Emmanuel Egene, attached to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Gombe, directed the Borno State Commissioner of Police, Naziru AbdulMajid, to detain her husband “until death.”
She named the two senior officers alongside ASP Usman, CSP Musa Alhaji Hussaini and Inspector Monday Usman in the petition, calling for a thorough investigation to establish their respective roles in the events leading to her husband’s death.
Jalo said Babayo was handed over to her on October 26 in critical medical condition but died on October 28 after receiving medical attention in Maiduguri.
She urged the IGP to establish what happened during the period of detention, the circumstances of his release and whether any police officer or other individual should be held accountable.
The widow also questioned the medical report signed by ACP Nasiru Egga, alleging that the stated cause of death did not correspond with her husband’s condition when he was released from custody.
She consequently demanded an independent forensic review of the report and a separate post-mortem examination to determine the actual cause and circumstances of his death.
Seeking safeguards against interference, Jalo called for an investigative panel independent of the officers and police formations named in the petition.
She also demanded the preservation and production of custody registers, duty rosters, detention orders, official communications, medical records and available CCTV footage that could help reconstruct the events surrounding the inspector’s detention and death.
The petitioner further requested the suspension of the officers under investigation, or their removal from positions that could enable them to interfere with the inquiry, pending its conclusion.
She insisted that any officer found culpable should face appropriate disciplinary measures and prosecution, while also seeking compensation and payment of her late husband’s outstanding salaries, entitlements and benefits.
The petition raised concerns over alleged violations of the constitutional rights to personal liberty, life and dignity, as well as possible offences relating to unlawful detention, abuse of office and culpable homicide.
Jalo disclosed that her husband had served in the Nigeria Police Force for 23 years but alleged that his salaries for September and October 2026 were stopped on the directive of the Borno State Commissioner of Police.
Copies of the petition were also sent to the Police Service Commission, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Police Affairs, the National Security Adviser and the Senate and House of Representatives committees on police affairs, among other authorities.
The widow warned that she would consider legal action if the matter did not receive prompt and satisfactory attention.