Amnesty International Demands Probe As DPO Allegedly Shoots 15-Year-Old Dead At Maulid In Borno
Amnesty International has called on the Nigerian authorities to investigate and hold accountable police officers allegedly involved in the extrajudicial killing of a teenager in Borno State.
In a statement on Sunday, the global rights group said 15-16-year-old Umar Muhammad, popularly known as Gajiye, was shot dead at a Maulid gathering in Banki, Bama Local Government Area.
Amnesty said eyewitnesses told the organisation that a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the rank of Superintendent of Police and his contingent went to the venue of the Maulid celebration in protest of what they described as “loud and disturbing noise” from loudspeakers at the annual Islamic celebration.
According to the rights group, in compliance, the organisers immediately disconnected the loudspeakers.
“But a moment later the DPO allegedly returned to Maulid venue with a contingent of the police that chased people away, while also shooting randomly. Umar was shot dead and left in a pool of blood,” Amnesty stated.
The organisation said the Nigeria Police must “impartially and immediately investigate this incident and ensure that all the police officers involved are held to account in fair trials.”
Amnesty added that 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 statement added.
The incident has continued to generate outrage, with lawyers and concerned citizens also petitioning the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, demanding an independent investigation and justice for the family of the deceased.
