The chairman of the Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights violation by the Defunct SARS and other Units of the police force, Justice Sulieman Galadima (rtd) has said that the panel will not move on from the alleged extra judicial killing of one Yau Mai Atampa.
Justice Galadima stated this during the hearing on the matter when police counsel again failed to produce respondent in the petition.
Recall, the Panel at the last adjourned date charged the police to ensure that respondents in the matter are present at the sitting.
According to the jurist, it will be unfair for the panel to move on having heard such weighty allegations against the police.
Responding, counsel to the police, Fidelis Ogbe advised the panel to give a written order to be submitted to the office of the CP legal who in turn will get in touch with the Potiskum division and signal will be sent to the officers in question, Salamatu of the Potiskum division and two others to appear before the panel.
However, counsel to the complainant AO Ibrahim has told the panel that the matter has been slated for written address, he informed the panel that he has furnished the police with the information required to trace the officers but there was no cooperation on the side of the police.
Ibrahim said two of the officers are at Damaturu Command while Salamatu is at the Potiskum division.
It would be recalled that the complainant was before the panel on the 19 of March and 5 of November 2021 on behalf of Alhaji Yau Mai Atampa, a businessman who deals in fabric.
He had a misunderstanding with his business partner Alhaji Shaibu mai Atampa over indebtedness to the tune of 163 thousand naira.
According to the complainant in his petition, the chairman of the market Alhaji Abbati Mohammed intervened and an agreement for installment payment was reached, “Alhaji Yau now deceased made a deposit of 76 thousand naira leaving an outstanding of 99,000, in the process he lost his commercial vehicle”.
“He pleaded with the chairman of the market for time to liquidate his debt but his business partner declined”.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the market took clothes from Alhaji Yau’s warehouse worth 1.7 million Naira and all attempts to get it back by the deceased was unsuccessful.
Narrating further he said the market Chairman insisted the police be involved to resolve the matter and in the process, the deceased Alhaji Yau was reportedly beaten and tortured by officer Salamatu at the Potiskum police station.
The matter has been adjourned to 13 December for the details of Salamatu and two others to be submitted to the panel.
