Gassol Community Alleges Police Harassment, Urges IG Investigation.

 

Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo

The Gassol community in Gassol local government area of Taraba State have vowed to resist any further attempt by the Chief of Gassol, Alhaji Idris Yakubu Chiroma and his brothers from allegedly using the police to intimidate, arrest and detaine innocent persons from the area.

A cross section of the people from Gassol District in Gassol local government area who spoke to journalists in Jalingo on thursday accused the traditional ruler and his brothers of using the police to terrorise persons opposing what they referred to as his dictatorial policies, including land grabbing

Alhaji Yusuf Abubakar accused the Chief of Gassol, Alhaji Idris Chiroma and his younger brother who is a member of federal House of Representative, representing Bali and Gassol Local Government Area of using the police to intimidate, arrest and unjustly detaine innocent persons from the area.

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He disclosed that on November 2, 2024, the police from zone 3 headquarters from Yola, Adamawa state came to Gassol and arrested one Babangida Sani and took him to Yola on the allegations that he participated in a protest staged by some farmers from Gassol district against the unlawful seizure of their land by Senator Sanusi Daggash last September.

” I want to inform you that one Adamu Abdullahi, a close associate of a member of House of Representative, Hon. Ja’faru Yakubu Chiroma who is a younger brother to the Chief of Gasol Alhaji Idris Yakubu Chiroma was said to have written a petition to Zone 3, of the police in Yola, Adamawa state directing the police to arrest Babangida Sani and three others because they participated in the September protest.

Abubakar lamented that it was unjust for the police to allow themselves to be used as hunter Dogs against innocent citizens, adding that anybody that is aggrieved with the September protest should seek for legal action in law Court instead of resulting to using the police to intimidate, arrest and detain inocent persons.

“It is even ridiculous that the Adamu Abdullahi who was said to have written the petition to the zone 3, police in Yola is an indigene of Adamawa and based in Yola but doing the bidding of his pay master, the member of House of Representatives from Bali Gassol to influence the police in Yola to do the dirty job for them when there is a police command in Taraba that can handle such complaint. ” He wonder.

He called on the inspector General of Police, National Human rights Commission and all other relevant agencies to direct the Zone 3, police in Yola, Adamawa state to immediately release Babangida and stop further arrest and harrassment of the people of Gassol by the Chief of Gasol and his brothers.

“You see it is annoying that when we sent some of our people to the police Zone 3,Yola to secure the release of Babangida, the police in Yola told them that until Babangida and the three others who participated in the protest apologise to the Chief of Gassol, Alhaji Idris Yakubu Chiroma the police will not release the detained Babangida “. He wonder.

When contacted, the Chief of Gassol, Alhaji Idris Yakubu Chiroma confirmed that he had the knowledge of the arrest of Babangida Sani by the police.

He added that Babangida Sani and several others who participated in the protest rained insults on his personality and they must suffer for it.

“I have instructed my law to take the matter to court, so let them go and engage their own lawyer ” he said.

Meanwhile, a very senior police officer from the police zone 3, Yola, Adamawa state further confirmed to our correspondent under cover that some influencial personalities from Taraba State were behind the arrest and detention of Babangida Sani.