Extra-Judicial Killings In Katsina: My Encounter With The Katsina State Commissioner Of Police

 By

Dr. Sadiq Isah Radda[1]

Sociology Department

Bayero University, Kano

iraddasadiq@yahoo.com

There is a so-called constitutional review being proposed by the current government. This attempt is greeted with numerous protests and objections. Hitherto, public hearings are usually held in Kaduna as the accepted base for the North West political Zone. This time around, the atmosphere in Kaduna became charged and very tense. Thus, the so-called hearing was moved to Katsina. This change came in its wake with peaceful demonstration. As a result of the peaceful demonstration we saw police brutality culminating into extra-judicial killings. The investigation I conducted under the aegis of the Network for Justice (a Human Rights Non-governmental Organization) showed that two people were brutally murdered by the police. As a responsible and reasonable organization we had no option but to lay a complaint with the Katsina State Commissioner of Police which we did promptly. However, my encounter with him left much to be desired to the extent that we had a major misunderstanding. His conclusion was that the letter I wrote seeking for investigation was irresponsible of me. But I told him that he is the most irresponsible, callous and insensitive State Commissioner of Police I have ever seen in my many years of search for justice and activism.

My intention in this piece is not only to share with the reader and the Civil Society community my bitter experience with this unprofessional conduct of the Katsina State Commissioner of Police but to call your attention to the extra-judicial killings that took place in Katsina on 19/2/2006. There are two ways through which the reader, the Civil Society Community and anybody interested can find out what actually happened on that fateful day. First, one can go on independent investigation. Second, one can read the letter I wrote to the Katsina State Commissioner of Police raising some substantive matters of concern. The letter reads:

The Commissioner of Police                                          21^st February 2006.

Katsina State.

Dear Sir,

RE: EXTRA – JUDICIAL KILLINGS IN STATE:

CALL FOR INVESTIGATION

The above issue refers. It is with sadness that I received the news of extra judicial killings by your men in Katsina during a peaceful demonstration on 19/02/2006.  The investigation I conducted shows that Isyaku Ilu Barde and one other person from Batagarawa were brutally murdered by the Police.

These citizens were killed despite the fact that they were law abiding and unarmed during the demonstration. It is my opinion that some questions have to be answered. The questions are why did the Police:

1.         Bear arms and live bullets during an orderly and legal demonstration

2.         Target their victims on the head

3.         Open fire on defenceless citizens

4.         Indiscriminately arrest and detain people

5.         Tear – gassed and molested innocent citizens

6.         Tear – gassed areas not affected by the so – called conflict.

The above questions and many more can best be answered through a Commission of Inquiry into the killings by the Police in Katsina.  In the name of Justice and fairness, urgent investigation is required and all culprits must be brought to justice. The Police is meant to serve and project the people. I want to see that done in Katsina State.

I remain yours in the struggle for justice and a better Nigeria.

Yours Sincerely,

cc:        1.         A. I. G.

                        Kano Zonal Command, Kano

            2.         The Director

                        State Security Services

                        Katsina State.

            3.         The NASS Committee on Human Right Violations

NASS Complex, Abuja.

4.                  The Secretary, Human rights Commission, Abuja

5.                  The Secretary, Ministry for  Police Affairs, Abuja

6.                  The Secretary, N.B.A. Katsina Chapter

7.                  The Secretary, Muslim Lawyers Forum

8.                  The Secretary, Civil Liberties Organization, Kaduna

9.                  The Secretary, Human Right Watch, Lagos.

 I am pretty sure that my reader will agree with me that the police have some questions to answer regarding the very poor way they managed that peaceful and legal demonstration. For reasons best known to him, the Katsina State Commissioner of Police said he will not listen to me. I told him that he had to and if he refuses I am quite conversant with the channels for seeking redress against police misconduct. This is why on reaching Kano, the base of my the Network for Justice, I wrote a letter to the AIG, Zone I, calling for high-spirited intervention. The letter reads:

1^st March, 2005

The A.I.G

Zone I,

Bayero University Road,

Kano

Dear Sir,

RE: EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS BY THE POLICE IN KATSINA

The above issue refers. You may recall that on Sunday, 19^th February, 2005 some people in Katsina organized a peaceful demonstration and wanted to deliver a letter to the governor. However, they were barred from delivering the letter resulting in instant misunderstanding between the police and the demonstrators.

It was at this juncture that the police used tear-gas and live bullets resulting in the death of two people. Our Organization became concerned and wrote a letter to the Katsina State Commissioner of Police protesting the extra-judicial killings (see a copy of our letter attached).

I strongly believe that the police did not follow the dictates of their duty in quelling peaceful demonstrations. The issues I raised in the letter attached are very germane. Hence, I strongly urge you to institute an Inquiry into these needless killings so that the culprits are brought to justice. Accordingly, three people have questions to answer. These are: the Katsina State Commissioner of Police; ACP Operations; and one Abu Ali who commanded the anti-riot police on that day.

Our organization and its lawyer visited the families of victims of these killings and our findings indicate that they are highly aggrieved. Furthermore, the people of the state are very displeased and desirous of justice on this matter. I sincerely hope you will use your good office to see that justice is done to the families of the deceased which will ensure that similar thing does not occur.

I chose to forward this complaint to you as the Katsina State Commissioner of Police said he was not willing to listen to me. I hope you will address this vital matter with all the strength in you. The value of justice cannot be quantified!!!

I remain yours in the struggle for justice for our people.

Yours Sincerely

I am positive that you will agree with me that we have followed the right direction. However, Nigeria is at cross-roads owing to the numerous problems besetting it. Thus, what ought to be may differ from what is. The police keep telling Nigerians that they exist to serve them; but practical evidence points to the contrary. Their motto is “To Serve and Protect with Integrity.” The attitude of the Katsina State Commissioner of Police and his utterances betray this claim. Our lawyer once asked him why they brutalize indigenes of Katsina State as directed by the state government. His response was that “He who Pays the Piper Dictates the tune.” If truly the motto of the police is as above, then an unbecoming statement like the above will not be done.

I have a request to the reader and the civil society community to the effect that Katsina state government and its police apparatus should be put under their searchlights. For example, during the peaceful demonstration that resulted in the extra-judicial killings, unwarranted arrests were effected. When I visited the detainees it was a sorry sight. Not only were they detained in the most inhuman conditions, in the case of those detained in Sabon Gari police station, they were no even given the opportunity to say their five daily prayers. Sadly and tragically, close to 95% of these detainees were refused bail and were not taken to court as required by the law; even more sadly and tragically, overwhelming majority of these detainees are juveniles who are not supposed to be dealt with the way they were treated. Furthermore, the police decided to go crazy by moving into the town quite far away from the flashpoints of the so-called conflicts throwing tear gas to innocent souls. Even housewives were not spared. The so-called conflict occurred close to the government house. However, the police went as far away as Katsina motor park (at least six kilometers away from the flashpoint of the so-called conflict) tear-gassing the population. Essentially, this and other things were done by the police to effectively harass and intimidate the population against their determined opposition for Obasanjo’s third term bid. Finally, investigation has revealed the innocence of some of the people callously detained for five days!!! But they were not released for reasons best known to the police.

I hereby call the attention of everyone to our plight in Katsina State: two people have been extra-judicially killed by the police; 32 people have been detained for five days without charge; juveniles are being subjected to a criminal justice meant for adults; there is deep seated hostility between the general population and the police; and the people are ruled by a draconian governor. It is in the face of these and many more challenges that the police have taken the detainees to court and a hearing is slated for 16/3/2006. Our volunteer team of lawyers of the Na-Alhaji Chambers, spearheaded by Hon. Mamman Abubakar Danmusa, is standing in for the detainees. I call on everyone including foreign-based pro-rights civil society groups to join us in Katsina on this day so that we can collectively monitor what will unfold. I also call on stakeholders interested in promoting justice, fairness and human rights to commence independent investigation on the police misconduct on that fateful date so that those responsible for the extra-judicial killings can be held responsible for murder.