Residents Protest Alleged Police Brutality In FCT Community, Demand Removal Of DPO

Residents of Bwari Area Council on Monday staged a street protest demanding the immediate removal of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Bwari Division, CSP Babayola Musa, over allegations of extortion, assault, and abuse of power linked to a New Year police operation in the Federal Capital Territory.

The demonstration followed claims that the operation, allegedly coordinated under Musa’s command, resulted in civilians being injured, detained, extorted, and one person confirmed dead.

The protesters accused the police leadership in the division of fostering fear and operating outside lawful conduct during routine security activities.

The protest began near the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) office in Bwari, where mostly young residents gathered, holding placards bearing messages such as: “Say no to police operation/brutality in Bwari,” “Say no to police harassment,” “Police are our friends,” and “We should not be scared of the police.”

One of the protesters, who identified himself as Richard, told THE WHISTLER that the group intended to march to the Bwari Area Council Secretariat to present their grievances to the council chairman formally.

He said, “All we want is the audience of the council chairman, Dr. John Gabaya. DPO Musa is a threat to us in this community.

“He should be held accountable for his actions against, Abraham Emmanuel, and every person affected during the New Year raid. Our demand is simple, we need justice.

“The Bwari Police DPO must be removed with immediate effect and punished accordingly, an end to police harassment, extortion and brutality in Bwari; Police must stop indiscriminate arrest of innocent residents at night, as there is no curfew in place.”

The protesters maintained that the alleged pattern of nighttime arrests, extortion, and use of force had created widespread fear among residents, particularly youths, and undermined trust between the community and law enforcement authorities meant to protect them.

Before the protest, THE WHISTLER had reported that a human rights organisation, Springs Aid Foundation, submitted a petition dated 6 January 2026 to the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory Command.

The petition called for a formal investigation into the alleged misconduct of CSP Musa in relation to the New Year operation.

The group’s petition added weight to public calls for accountability, as residents insisted that internal police mechanisms alone were insufficient without transparent oversight and decisive action from higher authorities.

Residents Protest Alleged Police Brutality In FCT Community, Demand Removal Of DPO is first published on The Whistler Newspaper