Timothy Gabriel, a social commentator, says he and a friend were asked to pay N450,000 as a mobilisation fee by officers of the [FCT Police Command](https://fctpolice.gov.ng) after they went to the Garki police station in Abuja to lodge a fraud complaint. The complaint concerned a mechanic who allegedly charged a friend N1 million for a new gearbox, but later installed an old one.
The pair approached the Garki police station to report the alleged scam, and the officers reportedly demanded the N450,000 payment before proceeding with the investigation. Gabriel questioned why the police were seeking almost half of the amount his friend was trying to recover.
"This is injustice," Gabriel said, directing his criticism at the police force. He reminded the authorities that the [Inspector General of Police](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_General_of_Police_(Nigeria)) has repeatedly declared that demanding mobilisation fees for crime investigations is unlawful.
**What did the police request?**
The officers allegedly asked for a mobilisation fee of N450,000, a sum that Gabriel argued contradicted official police policy.
**How did Gabriel respond?**
He publicly appealed to the IGP for intervention, stating, "IGP, we need your attention. What is going on? This is fraud. This is illegal."
The incident was shared on social media, with a video posted on Instagram highlighting the alleged extortion.
*Note: The original post appeared on Linda Ikeji Blog.*