From Paul Orude, Bauchi
The African Child Development and Human Rights Protection (ACDHRP), a Civil Society Organisation, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, over the failure of the Bauchi State Police Commissioner to investigate alleged rape of a housewife.
Founder of ACDHRP, Barrister Muhammed Alkassim, disclosed this in a press briefing in Bauchi on Wednesday.
Alkassim revealed that the victim, a mother of two approached the organization to seek for justice for alleged raped by a serving Deputy Superintendent of Immigration, Sani Mu’azu.
“The victim is crying for help and justice,” Alkassim, in company with other lawyers of the organization, told journalists.
“We condemn the failure of the Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command to investigate the case of alleged rape”
Alkassim condemned the arrest and detention of the husband of the victim less than 24 hours after the suspect filed a complaint for defamation against the couple.
“It is important to state categorically that the police has derailed in the general and specific objective of the establishment of the newly established police act as provided under section 1 and 2 of the same act,| he said.
“As human rights organization it is also important to further draw the attention of the Bauchi Commissioner of Police in further discharging his primary duty of the Nigeria Police pursuant to Section 4 of the Nigeria Police Act which is to prevent, detect crime and protect the right and free from of every person in Nigeria as provided in the constitution,” he said.
Akassim recalled that the organization had written a petition, dated December 22, 2023, addressed to the Commissioner of Police in the state, which was acknowledged on behalf of the victim but nothing was done.
“This petition has been lying in the office of the CP for almost three week without investigation.”
“It is a pity and sad to point it clearly, the police has derailed specifically on their primary function to investigate any allegation that has been filed before them.
“The woman has been raped based on the information that we have received and rape is a serious offence under section 278 of the Criminal Code of Bauchi State. It is a heinous office”
Alkassim disclosed that the very first day that the complaint of rape was sent to the office of the Commissioner of Police Bauchi, through her legal counsel, solicitor G Hassan and co, the police arrested the suspect.
“In less than 24 hours he was released on bail in a capital offence unconditionally. This is pathetic,” Alkassim lamented.
“It is our view that the police should immediately order for the re-arrest of the suspect on account of the victim
“As a human rights group we will not relent, we will continue to prove until justice is done”
Speaking with journalists, the victim appealed to the IGP to ensure that she got justice.
The housewife lamented that the police had swiftly arrested her husband, Yusuf Samaila on allegation of defamation based on the suspect’s complaint, saying life has been hard for her and her children since.
“Police arrested and detained my husband and but granted bail to the man that has destroyed my life in less than 24 hours,” she cried
The victim explained that her husband was on the order of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command
She explained that she and her family have been traumatised by the development.
Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Command, Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, disclosed that a petition was received from G Hassan and Co dated December 12, 2023.
Wakil fail to confirm the petition from the human rights organisation
“The Commissioner of Police had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department to investigate the case,” he said
“The case was investigated and the two lawyers that raised the petition – Nazir Umar and B Aliyu Mohammed came to the Criminal department and a case of this magnitude of rape was mentioned.
“It is a capital offence and investigation is still ongoing and the outcome of the investigation will be revealed to the public”
On the arrest of the victim’s husband, Yusuf Samaila, the PPRO, a Superintendent of Police, disclosed that he has been charged to court on allegation bothering on criminal defamation
“He is also charged for aiding and abetting offences to within kidnapping and the command received petition from Nazir Umar and Co chambers on behalf of their client Sani Saleh Mauzu against the said Yusuf Samiala and based on that the suspect (Lubabatu’s husband) was arrested,” he said.