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By Musa Tanimu Nasidi.
A Lokoja based human rights lawyer, Barrister S. A. Abbass has petitioned Kogi State Deputy Governor, Hon. Simon Achuba over alleged intimidation, harassment, incessant disturbance, threat and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.
In the petition addressed to Kogi Commissioner of Police, the human rights lawyer stated that Achuba has taken several criminal actions against one of his clients, Alhaji Mohammed Danladi Mohammed and his family and boasted that he can do whatever he likes without consequences.
The petition reads in part:
“We act as solicitors to Alhaji Mohammed Danladi Mohammed of No. 18, Basil Palace, Salihu Ibrahim Road, GRA, Lokoja, Kogi State (hereinafter referred to as our client) and it is on his firm instruction we write this letter. It is the brief of our client that his right to life and freedom of peacefully carrying out his legitimate means of living are at stake, as the Deputy Governor, Chief Simon Achuba has been intimidating, harassing, threatening and disturbing his family members and workmen for no just cause.
“Sir, sometime in October, 2016 the Deputy Governor went to our client’s business premises, asking our client to give up possession of a certain house, that he (the Deputy Governor) had purchased same. Our client told him that he was in lawful occupation of the said house and further advised the Deputy Governor to in any case, pass through the proper channel if he indeed has any valid claim to the said house. However, this did not go down well with His Excellency, the Deputy Governor, as he started raising his voice and threatening to deal with our client if he did not give up the said premises.
“Sir, these acts of intimidation, threat to life, reckless abuse of office, highhandedness oppression and infraction of our client’s fundamental rights by the Deputy Governor has become frequent and unbearable. For instance sir, on the 6thday of June, 2017, the Deputy Governor sent to our client’s premises mobile policemen to further intimidate and frustrate our client and disrupt his business activities.
“In addition, on the 9th day of June, 2017, the Deputy Governor again sent to our client’s premises about ten (10) officers of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SAS) to intimidate our client and on this occasion, the said SARS officers arrested about six (6) young innocent citizens who had gone to transact lawful and legitimate business of supplying rams to our client. Sir, these innocent Nigerians were detained and labeled “Boko Haram Members”.
“Quite frankly Sir, these chain of events, our client believes are manifestation of the threat issued by His Excellency the Deputy Governor to frustrate and deal with our client. This is obviously in contrast with the Executive Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s new direction blueprint, which among other things seeks to create a state where equity, fair-play, justice and order are the watchwords.
“Sir, our client is a taxpayer and a law abiding citizen. It is therefore unfortunate that a public officer in the Deputy Governor’s status is using our security agents who are remunerated and funded with taxpayers’ money, to intimidate, oppress and flagrantly trample on the rights of innocent citizens.
“Enough is enough and nobody, no matter how highly placed is above the law. It is on this note that we humbly urge you Sir, to use your good office to cause an investigation into this matter and to further protect our client’s life and those of his family members and associates as they do not know what the Deputy Governor will do to them next.
The lawyer revealed that efforts by his Client to dissuade Achuba from further oppressing them were rebuffed. He appealled to Kogi State Police Commissioner to intervene in the matter and bring Achuba to justice.
“In the light of the foregoing, we respectfully request you to use your good offices to investigate the criminal actions and activities of and bring him to justice expeditiously.
“While we agree with Achuba that he is ‘a big man’, we are very certain that the Law, the Nigeria Police Force and the Criminal Justice System are bigger and more powerful than him”
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