News and Events

Counsel to the police Mr. Fidelis Ogwobe has stated before the Independent Investigative Panel On Human Rights Violations by the defunct SARS and other Units of the Nigerian police force that police officers who abandon their duty posts to go elsewhere are no longer acting as police officers at that time.

Ogwobe made this known while reading his written address on a case of the alleged threat to life cruel inhuman and degrading treatment between one Alhaji Nafui, Maje his brother Aminu Maje and the police.

He further told the panel that the police cannot bear liability for the said police officer’s actions saying the commissioner of police never posted them as part of their employment to where the incident took place.

Additionally, the police counsel pointed out that during cross-examination the petitioner rightly admitted to the fact that the two officers in question were tried and dismissed from the Nigerian police, he queried why he should turn around to say otherwise. According to Ogwobe, “He who alleges must prove”.

The police counsel also noted that criminal liability is personal and can never be vicarious, he said the actions of the two officers were criminal and they were tried and dismissed consequently.

Earlier in his petition to the panel, Alhaji Nafui Umar Maje lamented how his brother Aminu Maje was rendered impotent by the actions of the police.

Testifying before the panel the complainant narrated how it all started on the 25 of June 2022 in the early hours of the morning he received a call from his security man that some men were on the premises vandalizing his signboard and properties in the estate.

According to the complainant he went to the estate the next day to ascertain the level of damage one Abdulkadir Ibrahim who falsely claim to be the owner of the property came in the company of two police Men Inspector Bonest Vincent and sergeant Zayyan Zuberu with five thugs. He said they conspired and started vandalizing the property cutting down the barricades beating him and his brother he said.

Narrating further the complainant said he rushed to the police station in Apo police station to report the matter and on coming back the two policemen had started shooting and in the process shot his brother, he said upon seeing that the police officers took him to Garki hospital and dumped him there on the allegation that he was shot by stray bullets.

Meanwhile, Aminu (the complainant’s brother) underwent four different surgeries to save his life and was billed to travel out for further medical treatment but for paucity of funds he could not make it he lamented.

However, investigation into the matter commenced on the 16 of July 2016 an orderly room trail was conducted and recommendations for dismissal of the two policemen were recommended by the investigation panel for illegal operations and misconduct.

Furthermore, the complainant lamented that despite the judgment obtained from the orderly room trail, the dismissed officers are back in the force promoted and serving.

His prayer before the panel is to be compensated to the tune of 22 million naira for medical expenses.

The matter has been adjourned for report.

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