A press statement dated December 14, 2023, and released by Yusha'u Sani Yankuzo, Esq, the Executive Director of the group, said the late Sani, aka Halifa Jega, was arrested along with another person for allegedly stealing a motorcycle by vigilantes and taken to the police for proper investigation on November 26, 2023.
The Centre for Human Rights and Social Advancement (CSFSAN) has asked the Nigerian Inspector General of Police to probe the alleged killing of a man identified as Ibrahim Sani who was said to have died while in police detention.
A press statement dated December 14, 2023, and released by Yusha'u Sani Yankuzo, Esq, the Executive Director of the group, said the late Sani, aka Halifa Jega, was arrested along with another person for allegedly stealing a motorcycle by vigilantes and taken to the police for proper investigation on November 26, 2023.
It said that three days later, the police broke the news of the sudden death of Sani to his family.
The statement reads: “The Centre for Human Rights and Social Advancement (www.cefsan.org) is a non-profit, non-governmental and non-partisan human rights organization whose members are public interest advocates, academics and legal experts. The Centre is working towards the promotion of human rights, democracy, good governance and peace & security in Nigeria. It has its headquarters in Kano – Nigeria. The Centre has been providing free legal aid to indigent people in Nigeria who cannot afford the services of legal representation in court.
“The Centre is in receipt of a complaint from one Lawan Sani of Kawo Quarters, Nasarawa Local Government Area, Kano State that on the 26th day of November, 2023 his younger brother, Ibrahim Sani (alias Halifa Jega) alongside one Halifa Cincika were arrested by the Vigilante Group of Kawon Maigari for allegedly stealing a motorcycle. That the two suspects were later taken to Anti-Daba Squad at Tal’udu, Kano for proper police investigation.
“However, the complainant and his relatives made several attempts to see their brother (Ibrahim Sani) while in custody at Anti-Daba Squad but were denied access by the police. And it was only on the 29th day of November, 2023 when the complainant made another attempt to see his brother, he was confronted with the shocking news by the police that his younger brother had passed away.
“Thus, the complainant and other members of his family are strongly suspecting that the deceased (Ibrahim Sani) was subjected to torture and incessant dehumanizing treatment at the Anti-Daba Squad, Kano which led to his unfortunate death.
“In view of the foregoing therefore, we call on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), to without delay, constitute an investigative panel to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of IBRAHIM SANI (HALIFA JEGA) and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
When contacted for his reaction to the allegations made by CSFSAN, the public relations officer of the state police command, Haruna Abdullahi, said it is not true that Sani died in custody.
The police said Sani was attacked by an angry mob that suspected that he and one other person stole the motorcycle.
Abdullahi said Sani had been beaten before he was rescued by police personnel.
“After we rescued him from the mob attack, we rushed him to the hospital and it was there that he was confirmed dead. The claim that he died in our custody is not true,” Abdullahi told SaharaReporters on the phone on Thursday.