Tayo Alabi
A retiree of the Federal Mortgage Bank, Mustapha Bukar Sabo, has appealed to the Chairman, Independent Investigative Panel on SARS, and other units of the Police Force sitting in Abuja to help him collect his money from the Inspector General of Police Task Team on Anti – Terrorism and Heinous Crimes.
Mustapha, who is resident in Maiduguri, Borno State, said he was arrested on the 15th of April 2013 in his Maiduguri office by a team of IGP Task Team on Anti Terrorism and Heinous Crimes led by Inspector Ibrahim Agu and was taken to the Motor Traffic Department Police Station opposite his office where his car was searched before he was taken to his house for further search.
According to Mustapha, the team whisked him away to Abuja by road in a 13-hour journey, a situation he claimed aggravated his asthma condition.
He narrated further that while at the SARS office popularly called “Abattoir” he was shown a handwritten petition said to be filed against him by one Bashir Goni, his secondary school mate.
The said petition alleged that he (Mustapha) is one of the people sponsoring the activities of Boko Haram and that he purchased and gave 200 AK47 guns to Boko Haram.
It was also alleged that he also recruited over 600 people into Boko Haram, and finally that he always carries with him, a police riffle.
These claims, Mustapha said could not be substantiated as the petitioner was not present to confirm same and that there was no sworn affidavit attached to the petition.
He also denied the allegations, saying he did not share the same religious ideology with Boko Haram, adding that his bank statement did not show any influx of extra income except his salary as a civil servant and could not have been sufficient to sponsor the activities of Boko Haram.
On his second day in detention, Mustapha told the panel that he fell ill and had to be taken to a hospital in Jabi, where he spent 2 days.
He said that it was after his discharge from the hospital he was bailed and absolved of all charges.
According to him, he was simply asked to go home and report back every 2 weeks to one month until he was eventually freed.
Having been subjected to such inhuman treatment, Mustapha Bukar Sabo is seeking the following reliefs from the panel;
To compel the appearance of inspector Ibrahim Agu (IPO) and the head of task Force, Garba Umar to produce the said petitioner who allegedly made a report against him.
To ensure that Ibrahim Agu makes a refund of N230, 000. 00 (Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira) only, which he allegedly collected from him.
Garba Umar (IPO Ibrahim’s boss) should be made to return 2 shedda (fabrics) and 2 super wax (wrappers), he collected from him.
Lead counsel to respondents listed in the case, Malik Taiwo Esq. requested for an adjournment of the matter to enable the appearance of all respondents at the next adjourned date.
Meanwhile, the matter was therefore adjourned to March 1st, 2021 for cross-examination and continuation of hearing.
