- The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Dutsen Tanshi division in Bauchi State reportedly ordered his torture
- Aminu had visible injuries on his body and reportedly died on Tuesday shortly after being granted bail by the police
According to SaharaReporters, a man named Abidina Aminu, aged 28, has allegedly been killed through torture by the Nigeria Police Force in Bauchi State.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Dutsen Tanshi division in Bauchi State is said to have given the alleged directives for the brutalization that resulted in Aminu’s death.
Aminu had visible injuries on his body and reportedly died on Tuesday shortly after being granted bail by the police.
The police, however, deny killing Aminu and instead place the blame on members of a local security group, professional hunters, for using excessive force during their interrogation of him. The spokesperson for the State Command, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, made this statement.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the police warned social media users to desist from promoting the alleged murder of Aminu.
The statement read in parts, “The CP (Commissioner of Police) Bauchi State Command, Auwal Musa Muhammed warns Social Media users to desist from the act of disseminating fictitious stories tantamount to causing the breakdown of law and order and undermining the painstaking efforts of security agencies in the state.
“For the records, on the 14th September 2023 at about 1630hrs the Command took over a case of Criminal Conspiracy, Theft and Receiving Stolen Property from PROHAN Security (Professional Hunters of Nigeria) Zango area Bauchi, along with the following persons as defendants: Masud Ibrahim “m” aged 14 years old, Muhammad Aliyu “m” aged 14yrs, Abidina Aminu “m” aged 28yrs, Ibrahim Shehu “m” aged 35yrs all of Bauchi metropolitan.
“That on the said date at about 0800hrs, the aforementioned persons criminally conspired and stole a ram belonging to one Zainab Dahiru “f” aged 35 years of Zango area Bauchi.
“The Command accepted the case and referred it to the Divisional Crime Branch (DCB) at Dutsen Tanshi Division for further Investigation.
“Investigation revealed that the 3rd defendant (Abidina Aminu) deceitfully lured the 1st and the 2nd defendants (Masud Ibrahim and Muhammad Aliyu) and took them on his motorcycle to Zango area, where they criminally conspired and stole the ram, but were unlucky, some good samaritans sighted them and raised alarm, which forced the 3rd defendant (Abidina Aminu) to abscond and abandon his accomplices, while the 1st and the 2nd defendants were chased and arrested by the inhabitants of Zango community.
“Thereafter, the Community handed over the culprits to the Professional Hunters of Nigeria (PROHAN) Security Guards Zango. On receiving the Information, the PROHAN acted and arrested Abidina Aminu, during the interview by the PROHAN, he confessed to having committed the alleged offences and further revealed that the 4th defendant (Ibrahim Shehu) is part of their gang as well as the receiver of all stolen properties (Sheep and goats). He further narrated that their operations cover the Zango area, Gwallagan Mayaki, and even Fadaman Mada area, of Bauchi state respectively.
“It was in the process of the interrogation by PROHAN, the said Ibrahim Shehu sustained a fracture on his right leg and Abidina Aminu, a bruise on his hand.
“Subsequently, after all the actions made by PROHAN, they took the defendants to the ‘D’ Divisional Police Headquarters Dutsen Tanshi area and tried to hand them over, including the impaired victims, but the DPO rejected and asked PROHAN to take them to a Hospital for necessary treatment.
“Afterwards, they were returned and their confessional statement (sic) was recorded under the words of caution along with three others mentioned above.
“Upon getting this development, police detectives swiftly traced and arrested Mohammed Sani for alleged criminal conspiracy and receiving stolen properties, something he admitted without much ado.
“Based on these facts, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) ‘D’ Division Dutsen Tanshi established the alleged offences against the five defendants.
“They were charged for the established offences on FIR to Tashan Babiye Area Court, Bauchi on three (3) count charges; Criminal Conspiracy, Theft and Receiving stolen properties, where Masud Ibrahim “m” aged 14yrs, Muhammad Aliyu “m” aged 14yrs, Ibrahim Shehu “m” aged 35yrs and Muhammad Sani admitted the charges and were convicted after the Court found them guilty, while Abidina Aminu pleaded not guilty and the case was adjourned for hearing after which he was admitted to bail by the Court.
“Moreover, the Command has arrested the PROHAN personnel who acted in excess of their authority and took the law into their own hands, cruelly caused injury to the defendant’s hands and sabotaged the course of Justice.
“Nevertheless, we are very categorical in informing the public that the deceased Abidina Aminu died 12 days after the above-narrated occurrence, he neither died in Police custody nor anywhere close to a police facility or at Dutsen Tanshi, it is just a piece of news we are hearing and we condole the family for such loss. Additionally, an investigation committee has been launched to thoroughly Investigate the remote cause of these acts.”