Alleged Police brutality: Herdsmen seek extension for Commission in Niger State

Herdsmen in Niger state, North-Central Nigeria, have appealed to the Niger state government to extend the time given to the Commission of Inquiry into alleged Police brutality and other matters in the state.

Chairman of the Niger state chapter of the Miyetti Kautal Hore, a Social-Cultural Association of the Fulani pastoralists, Mallam Abubakar Dikko said this is necessary to enable members of the group present their petitions before the panel.

Dikko, who spoke to the Voice of Nigeria in Minna, the Niger state capital on Wednesday said Fulani pastoralists had ugly experiences in the hands of some police personnel which will be presented to the Commission.

He, however, said as herders they were not aware until recently that such a Commission has been set up because they were scattered around the state with some totally cut-off from communication.

“We are happy with the disbandment of the SARS by the government because we nomads have our own share of challenges with the SARS personnel,” Dikko said.

Dikko further lamented the inadequate enlightenment of the people on the setting up of the Commission of Inquiry and other activities saying that the average Fulani person in the forest did not really know about the activities of the Commission.

“There’s need to give us special consideration if really the commission wants to achieve its desired aim, this is why we are asking for the Commissions time to be extended.

“Extending the time given to the commission to sit will also give us the opportunity to persuade most of our people that were subjected to hardship due to their encounter with the SARS personnel and have not been able to appear before the commission because of trauma and fear of the unknown,” Dikko said.

When contacted a member of the commission who craved anonymity said enough enlightenment was carried out about the activities of the commission in the state.

He said offices of the Commission were set up in each of the political zones in the state for easy submission of petitions by the people without them coming to Minna, the State Capital to do so.

He said the commission may consider their petition though it is almost rounding up its assignment.

The 14-Man Judicial Commission of inquiry was set up by the Government of Niger state to receive reports of all unwholesome acts against the police in the course of the lawful discharge of their duties in the state, in the month of October with two months duration to complete the assignment