Lifestyle

Officers filmed manhandling a Lady in a police station in Abuja queried

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The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi has said that the officers filmed manhandling a lady inside a police station in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja have been identified and queried.

A Twitter user @Icaohi shared the worrisome video showing the officers pulling the woman on the floor as they forced her into a cell. One of the officers even went as far as stepping on her.

In an update given today November 19, Adejobi said investigations showed the woman assaulted one of the officers, hence the manhandling.

He said the action of the officers was unprofessional, hence they have been queried. He said the lady in question simply identified as Gift has written an apology to the officers.

Lifestyle

Nigerian Army laments over police brutality against soldiers

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The Nigerian Army has launched an investigation into the killing and assault on its personnel by officers of the Nigeria Police Force, SaharaReporters reports.

The Chief of Army Staff in a letter dated November 23, 2021, to all formations and units, called on military officers to “forward all recorded incidence of police brutality against personnel of the Nigerian Army.”

The letter signed by Major General J. A. Ataguba is titled, ‘Evaluating Incidences Of Police Brutality Against Personnel Of Nigerian Army.’

It is also mandated to evaluate and present evidence surrounding the circumstances and draw conclusions as to the validity of the complaints raised.

The letter read; “The NA is constitutionally tasked to provide aid to civil authorities when called upon. This responsibility has occasioned conducting joint activities with members of the civil and paramilitary organizations. These joint operations with other security agencies particularly the Nigerian Police (NP) create occasions for the police to equate its hierarchy with the NA and this has often led to friction, especially at the lower levels.

“This friction has occasionally led to bodily harm and in some cases death to our troops. This is in spite of the fact that the victims have been identified and established to be serving personnel.

“This Dept is therefore conducting an evaluation of these occurrences with a view to establishing the frequency and recommend possible remedial measures to stem the tide. Consequently, all NA corps, formations and establishments are please requested to forward all recorded incidence of police brutality against personnel of the NA.

The report should cover the last 2 years. Returns to reach this NLT 8 December 21 and should be forwarded using enclosed formal.“

Police brutality in Nigeria especially by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS was responsible for sparking the #EndSARS protest in October last year.

Lifestyle

Nigerian govt approves compensation for victims of police brutality

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The National Economic Council (NEC) said on Friday the Federal Government and states would set up modalities for the settlement of compensations awarded to victims of police brutality in the country.

The NEC, according to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, stated this at a meeting held on Friday in Abuja.

The council, which is chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, comprises the governors and representatives of the federal government.

The council stressed that all officers indicted by the judicial panels of inquiry set up by the state governments to probe allegations of police brutality would be prosecuted.

The federal government had directed states to set up judicial panels of inquiry to probe allegations of rights violations by operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police personnel following the #EndSARS protests that rocked many parts of the country in October last year.

The statement read: “It may be recalled that following the October 2020 #ENDSARS protests, in furtherance of resolution of NEC, 28 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had set up Judicial Panels/Commissions of Inquiry to investigate allegations of violations of human rights levied against members of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies, especially members of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The 28 States that set up these panels were Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, and Taraba.

Out of the 28 States, 11 States (Abia, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, and Rivers) have submitted their final reports to Council; with Lagos, set to finalise its sittings on 19th October 2021, submitting an interim report. Governors of other States including Delta and Ebonyi at today’s meeting also indicated that their reports would be submitted soon.

“Following deliberations on the recommendations of the panels, NEC agreed/resolved as follows, (and this applies to all the States and FCT that set up the panels):

“Each State, in collaboration with the Federal Government, shall establish modalities for the settlement of all monetary compensations awarded by the Panels. Already, as resolved by NEC, a number of states have set up Victims Compensation Funds, from which several victims have already received payments of sums awarded to them by the panels.

Council directed State Governors to immediately forward copies of final reports of the panels to their Attorneys-General for prompt arraignment and prosecution of all indicted persons.

“Where incidents in the reports relate to matters of discipline, in addition to prosecution, NEC urged the Nigeria Police Force to take disciplinary action on the affected officers in line with the provisions of the Police Act 2020.”

Lifestyle

#EndSARS documentary on police brutality to premiere August 28

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The events of the #EndSARS protests that culminated in the shooting of #EndSARS demonstrators on the night of October 20, 2020, at the Lekki toll plaza, Lagos, have been adapted into a documentary set to premiere on August 28.

The documentary is titled “#ENDSARS Documentary.”

According to a statement issued on Friday by producer, Seun Oloketuyi and associate producer Rolake Adesina, the film seeks to revive debates about #EndSARS and the circumstances that birthed the historic movement, the producers of the movie said.

The film narrates the horrific escapades of the Nigeria Police Force and its defunct brutal department, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) that has been accused of decades of brutality and human rights abuses.

The documentary is amplifying the conversation and revival of the debate about #ENDSARS, and the surrounding factors that necessitated the movement which is still with us today, highlighting voices that inspire and drive positive democratic change in Nigeria.

“This is a fitting reminder of the power to make a change when we stand up for justice” a press release noted.

The trailer to the documentary will be released on August 26 via all social media handles of the global streaming platform Meroestream before the actual premiere.

Politics

Court awards N210m compensation to victims of police brutality in Bauchi

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The Federal High Court, Bauchi, on Saturday awarded N210 million compensation to three victims of police brutality in the state.

Justice Hassan Dikko held that two of the victims – Ibrahim Babangida and Ibrahim Sama’Ila – were tortured to death by the police after they were accused of stealing 24 chickens belonging to a retired police officer.

He awarded the sum of N100 million each to the families of the deceased as compensation.

The third victim, Abdulwahab Bello, was awarded N10 million for brutality, senseless arrest, and torture by the police.

The three victims were accused of stealing chickens by the retired police officer on July 21, 2020.

They were arrested and detained at the Township Division “A” Police Station in Bauchi.

According to Bello, one Superintendent Baba Ali, who was the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at the time, used a pestle to torture him and his two friends who died as a result of the brutality.

He said: “The DPO hit Ibrahim continuously until his last breath.”

Bello and families of the deceased persons later filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Bauchi.

Listed as respondents are one officer simply identified as Ali, Sgt. Jibrin Mohammed, the Commissioner of Police in Bauchi, the Inspector- General of Police, and the Police Service Commission.

World News

Lagos Police Officer Tortures UNILAG Student To Coma Over Number Plate.

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He was arrested for covering his number plate. He was held for hours for being rude to the Divisional Police Officer of the Mosafejo division in Oshodi.

A student of the University of Lagos, John Akinwale, has landed in the hospital after a power-drunk policeman tortured him to a coma in the Mosafejo, Oshodi area of Lagos State.

SaharaReporters learnt that Akinwale was arrested on Monday around 2 pm, after he bought fuel at a filling station, by police officers attached to the Mosafejo division.

It was gathered that the operatives extorted N5000 from the UNILAG student, who is also an activist, before dragging him to a police station.

According to a witness, Akinwale was arrested for having a “covered number plate.”

After the extortion, the policemen, not done, beat Akinwale to a coma, for being “rude” after which he was rushed to a hospital.

A source said, “John came out from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority office and drove into a filling station. The policemen rushed at him just as he was about to leave the station.

“They collected N5000 from him and they dragged him to a police station. He collapsed in police custody after being beaten up by the officer. He was arrested for covering his number plate. He was held for hours for being rude to the Divisional Police Officer of the Mosafejo division in Oshodi.  

“It was when he became unconscious that he was rushed to a hospital. It is now that he is regaining consciousness that he confirmed that he was hit by objects by the policemen.”

“I saw him use medication for Typhoid earlier that morning. We first thought it was the medication that reacted in his body. But the doctor at the hospital confirmed that it was not the drugs but that he was hit with an object.

“When he regained consciousness, he stated the same thing that the policemen beat him up,” another source said.

SaharaReporters was told that the matter was brought to the attention of the Area Commander but instead of him to scold the policemen over the brutality, he only called the DPO to ask him to consider releasing Akinwale.

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