A petitioner before the Independent Investigative Panel on the defunct SARS and other units of the Nigerian Police Force, Hassan Sani Musa has alleged that the police in order to pacify his family after torturing his brother to death, presented food items and N50, 000 cash to his family.
Hassan, who narrated the incident on Tuesday at the resumed panel, alleged that on October 19, 2021, a police officer, ASP Ismail Aminu, in the company of his colleagues invaded his family’s house in the evening, arrested and detained his brother, late Saifullahi Sani Musa.
According to Hassan, when the family visited the Police Station the following morning in order to bail his brother, it was discovered that his brother had died.
Narrating further, the petitioner said the deceased family insisted that autopsy should be carried out at the Aminu Kano teaching hospital.
While at the hospital, however, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ado Ibrahim appealed to the family of the deceased to discontinue the planned autopsy, promising them food items and 50,000 and also to ensure that the officers linked to the death of the deceased are made to face the wrath of the law.
A witness, Ladi Hamza, aunt to the deceased, corroborated the testimony of the petitioner.
The witness stated that after the burial of her nephew, ACP Ado Ibrahim visited the family of the deceased in the company of Kano State Government house officials with two bags of rice, cartons of spaghetti and fifty thousand Naira possibly to appease the aggrieved family.
In addition, an offer of employment was extended to the elder brother of the deceased by the State Government.
Similarly, another witness, Khalid Nuhu informed the panel that he saw the deceased with the police at a hospital, beaten, battered and vomiting blood.
“The following day, I was told he had died,” said the witness”.
The petitioner is requesting the sum of one hundred million naira only as compensation to the deceased family.
The matter was adjourned to Monday, March 7, 2022, for the continuation of the hearing.
Meanwhile, counsel to the police, Kenneth Egbuchua promised that at the next adjourned date he would ensure that the respondents appear before the panel.
