The Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations by the defunct SARS and other units of the Nigeria Police Force has asked Nigeria Police to furnish it letters that sacked police officers involvement in extra judicial killings.
Chairman of the panel, Sulieman Galadima demanded that the police defence team produce the report stating that the officers were indeed dismissed to enable the panel arrived at a logical decision and conclusion on the matter before it.
An aggrieved father, one Mohammed John Omale who approached the Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations by the Defunct SARS and other units of the Nigeria Police Force had asked the panel to address his plight following the killing of his son by the police.
The petitioner told the panel that his son Bala John Omale and his brother Rilwan Orji were killed by the police on November 29, 2014 .The death of his son who is the family breadwinner had put the family in distress.
The petitioner spoke through an interpreter at the ongoing hearing and investigation of human rights violation by Justice Sulieman Galadima (rtd) panel in Abuja.
Led in evidence by his counsel E.N Dodo, the petitioner said on 29 of November 2014 his son and his younger brother who are both businessmen were arrested by the operatives of SARS at Ugwlawo LGA of Kogi state upon their return from the market in the company of one Emmanuel Abalaka.
Testifying further, he narrated how an Okada man came to his house to inform him of the arrest of Late Bala and Rilwan ,he said he got to the police station only to be told that they were taken to Lokoja. Upon hearing that the complainant said he travelled to Lokoja with thw hope of seeing them. On getting to the police station Lokoja, he was told by an ‘anonymous’ fellow that two boys were killed.
Narrating further Mr. Omale told the panel how he went round Lokoja hospitals in search of the bodies and later found two bodies at the specialist hospital mortuary and identify them.
Meanwhile, the complainant also told the panel that the deceased vehicle and the goods they bought on that fateful day were still in the custody of the police.
In another development counsel to the complainant also led one Emmanuel Abalaka who was in the company of the deceased to give an account of what he knows about the incident.
According to Emmanuel they were returning from the market and he and the deceased decided to relax at a joint he said men of SARS storm the place and were shooting.
Continuing he said dragged the deceased to their van and whisked them away and that he, Emmanuel followed from a distance but the shooting scared him and he decided to run to the deceased father to inform him of the incident.
In his defence counsel to the police, Fidelis Ogwobe told the panel that they will not be calling any witness as the officers in question were investigated found culpable and thereafter dismissed from the service.
Defending the commissioner of police Kogi state and the inspector general of police, Ogwobe stated that the defence is relying on the investigation report dated 2 February 2016 which was tendered by the complainant sign by DIG Kakwe C. Katso. Ogowbe told the panel that the report was referred to the kogi state commissioner of police and they were tried and dismissed from the force.
In his reaction Justice Sulieman Galadima asked the police defence team to produce the report stating that the officers were indeed dismissed to enable the panel arrived at a logical decision and conclusion in the matter
The matter was adjourned for report.