24-year-old Imam’s death sparks accusations of Police torture, brutality in Kano. By Abibu Shehu Ibrahim
The family of a 24-year-old Kano-based Islamic cleric, Salim Usman, has accused operatives of the state criminal investigation Department (CID) of torturing him to death shortly after his arrest in Gwale Local Government Area.
He was allegedly linked to a theft case after a man arrested last year for stealing a bag of flour claimed that Usman had bought it.
According to Premium Times, CCTV footage captured two officers one in uniform and armed, the other in plain clothes beating Usman after his arrest.
Neighbours alleged that the assault, which continued in custody, led to his death.
Residents who trailed him to the police station to protest his arrest were also reportedly beaten and tortured before being remanded.
Jamilu Haruna, a relative of the deceased, said Usman died the same day he was taken into custody.
“The police took his remains to the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital as an unidentified person, but the hospital rejected the corpse,” Haruna said.
“The police subsequently took the body to Abdullahi Wase Hospital, where it was deposited in the mortuary.
“We, the family, have filed a complaint with the police authorities through our counsel, Adamu Abubakar, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
“The police claimed they had arrested some officers for unprofessional conduct and had commenced an investigation into the incident.
“He was buried on Friday after an autopsy at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, which cost us N90,000.
He died on 22 September and was buried on 26 September after the court and the police approved the autopsy.
“We are expecting the result in four weeks.”
Efforts to reach Haruna Kiyawa, spokesperson of the Kano State Police Command, for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
