The Independent Investigative Panel on allegations of human rights violations by the defunct Special Anti – Robbery Squad (SARS) and other units of the Nigerian Police on Monday noted that contrary to its orders, the Police has failed to produce the certified true copies of proceedings from the National Assembly Public petition in the case of alleged extra judicial killing of one Kennedy Yusuf.
Justice Suleiman Galadima rtd, while receiving other documents tendered by the police from the Public Petition, insisted that the police must tender the certified true copies of proceedings from the House Committee on Public Petition to enable the panel arrive at an informed and just decision on the matter.
The Chairman who led the 11-man panel noted that the Police respondent, James Idachaba, at the last hearing in this matter had asked the panel to dismiss the case because same was done at the National Assembly’s Public Petition, because the case was frivolous and lacked merit.
James Idachaba informed the panel that the matter had already been settled by the post mortem carried out by an independent pathologist from the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, which indicated that Kenney Yusuf died from natural causes and not killed by the police as alleged by the family.
He also disclosed that the post mortem was not carried out by the police, rather it was done by the family of Kennedy Yusuf and the result was submitted by the family to the panel and admitted as exhibit, therefore the matter has been settled by the result of the post mortem that the police was not involved in Kennedy’s death while in police custody.
It could be recalled that Mamman Danladi in his testimony pleaded with the panel that the police be ordered to compensate the family for the extrajudicial killing of his nephew, Kennedy Yusuf.
The Chairman in his ruling, declared that the police must produce certified true copies of proceedings from the National Assembly’s Committee on Public Petition at the next adjourned date as he adjourned to 29th November,2021 for continuation of hearing.
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In another development the panel commended the efforts of the AIG zonal headquarters, Wuse zone 7, Abuja, Bala Ciroma, while extolling the sacrifices made by the AIG, in the case of alleged threat to life of one Mohammed Asabe and one Kate who were allegedly shot by the Police,
The petitioners, who narrated their ordeal, told the panel that on the 19th April 2019 while in a taxi at Barnex area, Abuja, the taxi driver turned into a filling station to top up fuel in his car, a police officer who was at a checkpoint flagged down the taxi conveying them, but that the driver who refused to stop, later abandoned them in the taxi and fled.
Mohammed stated that they heard gun shots and afterwards saw a police officer pointing a gun to his head and later discovered that his legs were broken in three places by gun shots while a bullet also went through Kate’s left and right leg.
The AIG, then CP FCT, Bala Ciroma visited both victims at the hospital and apologized over the incidence, while promising to ensure that the officer in question will be made to face the consequences of his actions.
In addition, Mohammed told the panel that Bala Ciroma paid about N300,000 for the surgery he underwent on his legs, and equally gave both of them some cash money of about N50,000 each.
Justice Suleiman Galadima however reiterated that more still needs to be done in compensating the victims.
He therefore adjourned the matter to November 30th, 2021 for final hearing.
The victims who have lost their means of livelihood owing to the effect of injuries they sustained are however seeking compensation to the tune of about N10 million Naira to enable them move on with their lives.
(Editor, Omor Bazuaye)
