Amnesty decries wanton killing of teenager by DPO in Borno

Amnesty International has condemned the alleged killing of a teenager, Umar Muhammad, widely known as Gajiye, by a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Borno State and called for the officers involved to be held accountable.

In a Sunday statement posted on Facebook, the rights group said authorities must investigate the brutal extrajudicial killing of Gajiye, said to be 15 or 16 years, at a Maulid gathering in Banki, Bama Local Government Area of the state.

According to Amnesty, the teenager was reportedly shot to death at close range by a DPO of the rank of Superintendent of Police.

“Eye witnesses told Amnesty International that the DPO and his contingent went to the venue of the Maulid Celebration in protest of what they decried as ‘laud and disturbing noise’ from loudspeakers of the annual Islamic celebration,” the organisation said.

It said the organisers immediately disconnected the loudspeakers in compliance, but a moment later the DPO allegedly returned with a contingent of police that chased people away while shooting randomly.

“Umar was shot dead and left in a pool of blood,” Amnesty stated.

The organisation demanded an impartial and immediate investigation by the Nigeria Police and that all officers involved be held to account in fair trials.

Amnesty said, “What happened to Umar Muhammad exposes a pattern of ruthless human rights violations in which suspected perpetrators are never held to account.

“Nigeria Police, which was created to protect the people, is instead gradually becoming a danger to society, carrying out human rights violations with complete impunity while fomenting a toxic climate of fear and corruption.”

The group insisted that police must be held to account for the killing of the teenager.