Shugaba was recently in the news for ordering an assault on a man (name withheld) for criticising his governorship ambition on social media.

The former Chief Superintendent of Police had indicated an interest in running for governor in his home state of Kaduna.

SaharaReporters gathered that the young man on social media criticised Shugaba for involving in politics despite being a policeman.

He had also accused him of using the State House security operatives to intimidate supporters of his opponents.

After the post, Shugaba ordered an assault on the man who was also arrested and detained at the Nigeria Police Force headquarters for six days.

“The young man went on social media and criticised him for aspiring to run for governor while still a policeman as if we are in (Late Sani) Abacha’s regime. I was told he and the boy lived in the same estate in Maitama. So, he got him arrested for one week,” a source had said.

“The boy was really tortured in the cell. He told the young officers to keep beating him until he told him which of his rivals paid the boy to criticise him on social media. He threatened to kill him if he didn’t talk.

“He has started threatening the boy’s mother as well. He was also forced to confess on camera that he was defaming him of not he won’t be released. Imagine, a law officer acting like a garage boy.”
The source had called on the First Lady to investigate the matter and demanded justice for the innocent young boy.

“We are appealing to our caring mother, Aisha Buhari to investigate this matter. She’s a mother and shouldn’t see another woman crying over her son. Shugaba has been threatening this boy’s mother as well. The First Lady should also ask him to return this young boy’s phone.”

Speaking to SaharaReporters on Monday, a police source condemned the promotion of the officer, whom he described as power-drunk and not disciplined.

“Usman Shugaba, that indiscipline (sic) Aisha Buhari’s ADC has been promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police. This is someone who illegally arrested a young boy and tortured him for criticising his governorship ambition while still a policeman.

“Someone who has failed his promotion exams twice and has no degree certificate promoted to ACP, so Nigeria police authorities now reward criminals.”

Known for controversies, Shugaba was arrested and detained in 2020 over a shooting incident at the Presidential Villa.

The police officer and others had forced President Buhari’s Personal Assistant, Saibu ‘Tunde’ Yusuf out of Aso Villa after he refused to embark on a 14-day isolation period after a trip from Lagos.

Shugaba was said to have manhandled Yusuf, who later escaped to the residence of Mamman Daura, Buhari’s nephew and member of the ‘cabal’.

Subsequently, Yusuf with the active connivance of the President’s Chief Security Officer, Idris Kassim, ordered the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, to arrest Shugaba, Escort Commander and other policemen attached to the First Lady.

It was claimed that gunshots were fired in the process of getting Yusuf out of the Villa, thereby breaching the security code around Buhari.

The incident led to the withdrawal of Mrs Buhari’s security details including Shugaba until they were reinstated weeks after.

Also in 2019, Shugaba, then ADC to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State invaded the office of the Nigeria Union of Journalists with armed thugs and policemen.

He claimed he had information that ballot papers and boxes were been thumb-printed at the secretariat.