Recently, the House of Representatives resolved to investigate alleged intimidation and harassment of members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, a group loyal to former governor of Kano state, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. This is similar to an ongoing investigation of an alleged harassment of former Bauchi state governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda and his supporters. In this piece, ADEBIYI ADEDAPO, looks at circumstances surrounding the investigation.
he House of Representatives on two weeks ago resolved to summon the Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, and the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Yusuf, over the alleged constant harassment of the supporters of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
The House resolved to constitute an ad-hoc panel to ascertain the reasons for the harassment and intimidation of supporters of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in order to avert a breakdown of law and order in the state.
The committee expected to turn-in it’s report within three weeks for further legislative action.
The member representing Dala federal constituency in Kano state, Hon. AliyuSaniMadaki, in a motion noted that some members of the National Assembly from the state had intended to hold meetings with their constituents but were forced to cancel them by the Kano State Police Command, after been duly informed, thereby infringing on their rights to peaceful assembly and association as enshrined in Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution.
Madaki also explained that on January 29, men of the Nigeria Police barred some members of the National Assembly and the Kano State House of Assembly from entering the venue of the APC Northwest zonal meeting in Katsina.
Subsequently, members of the Kano Assembly were invited to the state police command and asked to make statements on what transpired at the meeting in Katsina.
Despite the fact that the said meeting took place in Katsina State, which was outside the jurisdiction of the Kano State Police Command, such matter, if any, can rightly be inquired into by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the zone.
The lawmakers who took turn to make remarks emphasised that the invitation did not follow due process. The House noted that the manner in which the police commissioner descended into the arena over issues that are purely political, is such that many residents of Kano state now regard him as the de facto factional chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This situation is not only experienced in Kano state, but also in a few other states where the there is intense battle for political supremacy and power struggle.
There has been a long-drawn supremacy battle between the Leader of Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his successor Abdulahi Umar Ganduje, which explains why politicians loyal to the former governor feel intimidated by the Kano state police command, possibly acting the script of the state governor.
The House is also expected to turn-in it’sivestigative report in a similar matter which involves a former governor of Bauchi state, Isa Yuguda who alleged that he was victimised by the Bauchi state command of the Nigerian Police.
Yuguda believed that the improper treatment was on the instructions of Governor AbdulahiAbubakar.
In December 2016, the member representing Misau/Dambam federal constituency of Bauchi state, Hon. Ahmed Yerima had in a motion urged the House committee on Police Affairs to probe the matter and report back in four weeks for further action.
“We now have a situation whereby the state is under siege by the Nigerian police. You can’t go to the police if your rights are violated, because they will aggravate your situation by taking sides. You can’t go to court, because the judiciary is controlled by the same people who control the police,” he stated.
The House however set-up an ad-hoc committee headed by Hon. Gabriel Onyewife of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) from Anambra state to investigate the matter.
Yuguda, who appeared in person before an ad hoc committee explained that he was severely harassed and intimidated by some policemen when he visited Bauchi on November 24, 2016.
According to the former governor, hundreds of his supporters who came out to welcome him after a successful medical treatment abroad received similar treatment.
Yuguda, therefore, called on the House to examine the circumstances leading to a police commissioner ignoring the provision of the constitution as it relates to citizens’ rights under his area of command.
He also called on the House to take action on how policemen were dragged into politics of a state “and lured into discarding their professional ethics and used against opposition politicians and innocent citizens.”
He urged the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, should take action against the Bauchi police commissioner, Mohammed Zaki, for alleged “insubordination and taking the former governor into “false imprisonment against the IGP’s directive.”
But the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Zaki, who appeared before the Gabriel Onyewife led ad-hoc committee explained that his actions were mere security measures taken to safeguard the life and property of the former governor and the state at large, considering intelligence reports on prevailing security threats in the state.
Meanwhile, a pro-democracy group, the Peoples Movement Bauchi (PMB) gave credence to the move by the House of Representatives Committee to probe an alleged 12-hourwhich Yuguda was subjected to by the state’s Commissioner of Police, describing the incident as sad, crude and barbaric.
Coordinator of the group, ComradeZakare Ibrahim in a statement described the incident as an unwarranted provocation and a reckless invitation to mayhem in the state, just as it praised the former governor for displaying uncommon maturity, calmness and statesmanship while the ordeal lasted.
The group urged the House Committee to leave no stone unturned and get to the root of the matter.
Zakare said appropriate sanctions should be recommended against the state’s Police Commissioner and other persons involved in order to serve as a deterrent to other security officers who it said endangered democracy in the country by their intemperate intolerance and insensitivity.
According to Ibrahim, the group’s preliminary inquiry into the incident revealed that the former governors alleged mistreatment by the police commissioner in collaboration with the Bauchi State government was a calculated plot to embarrass and humiliate him before a multitude of his supporters in the state who trooped out to welcome him home after more than a year’s absence from the country during which he went to take care of his health and treat an undisclosed ailment.
“The former governor was forced to be indoors with the IGP’s men who were with him from 10pm on November 24 until 10am the next day when he left for Jos. We fully support the House of Reps in its probe. The likes of CP Kari Ahmed are threats to our democracy; he should be sanctioned by the IGP for gross insubordination. All true lovers of peace should rise up and condemn this barbaric behaviour,” he stated.