Alhassan Haruna Dambatta
Some police officers of Dorayi police Outpost in Kano state have been collaborating with some disgruntled landlords to gag individual tenants to vacate a property without any involvement of the court on any case pertaining tenancy. What is all required is your ability as a complainant (landlord), to report your wish to the police at the Dorayi police station of your request to send away any of your tenant you so desired, and almost immediately a criminal process will be set to compel you the tenant to vacate the property under duress. At first, the perception you had will frighten you at the planned and conspired brutality approaching you.
This have confirmed that injustice,inhumanity to personal freedom of existence still strives around Dorayi police station. Right to liberty, constitutionally confirmed human rights, guaranteed freedom of expression and association are been brutally, illegally and severely trampled up to by some above the law officers of Dorayi police station who abrogate to themselves the power to act in capacity of a court of law and pass verdict in absence of a court process which remains as the only and legitimate and as well legally approved measure to determined what is exactly the most recognized action to be taken.
My experience this day started with my happy family getting up early from bed, Ibrahim Sajid was the last born, the most active but yet two years old. While the children run after each other shouting for morning breakfast, you can trust Samha the second daughter was nagging “Daddy I want to drink tea”, for sure almost everyone has one of her type in the house.
While the mother peel the usual Irish Potatoes. While i was about to help her turn the burner on, i heard a heavy bang of a knock on the house main entrance gate. All of us, including the children got scared, our minds cut, Ibrahim the two years old run to my direction and the children as well. I got afraid, especially as a Journalist who usually is at risk of attack, even a friendly bang on the door could easily be scary.
As I opened the door two people stands outside and one of them was exposing a pistol, the other was the same Hajiya son by name Doctor Ahmad of Murtala Muhammad teaching hospital kano who came earlier in the morning and threaten me to vacate his mothers house or else I bear any consequence that may befall me.
An audio has been attached with this report, the details of what transpired between me and the police was indictive on the part of the police and it requires prompt and deliberate investigation and all police officers involved should be squarely and adequately prosecuted.
Four audios are attached and the conversation therein will scare you of how the police in Dorayi are into representing Landlords in cases exclusively reserved for the court.
Audio 1.
The police officer by name sgt Abdullahi, though he earlier claimed to be Mohammed by name only to switch when i indicate he should include his designations especially as a police officer. The police officer was insisting that i just pack in two weeks time because Hajiya the main owner of the house wished so. As we are there one of my colleague passing by saw me and packed and subsequently got involved pleading for leniency on my behalf. While i requested for the right thing to be done, atleast a court notice will serve the purpose, the police officer was busy discouraging me not to take that path.
Audio 2.
This audio was inside the car, then we entered the police station and i was compelled to write an agreement to pack in two weeks time, precisely on or before 14th August 2015. Even what i was to write was almost dictated to me by this same police officer who engaged in this same illegal act, in the process adultrating the good work of other good and law abiding police officers of Dorayi police station and the police in general. The most threatening part is when he reminded me of action they will take if i failed to pack in two weeks time. That truly scares me.
Audio 3.
The police officer here was informing me of his efforts and his readiness to assist me to kill the case when the divisional police officer comes back. Though all through as the issue at the station lasted, the DPO was not at the police station at the time, but sgt Abdullahi had already told me that he does everything with the knowledge and authority of the DPO.
Audio 4.
This audio contains the bribe taking aspect, the police officer was initially reluctant to take one thousand naira but only to collect it when he was told that the issue is not over yet, meaning more will come.
The impunity at Dorayi police station must be checked and corrected otherwise the much brouhaha about change could easily end up a mirage.
I did all i did knowing fully well that the legitimate and formal process is to seek redress in a court of law, the barbarity of this police officer must be compensated with harsh but appropriate punishment so as to deter other police officers from taking this same path that only ensures the progression of corruption in Nigeria.
Comrade, Alhassan Haruna Dambatta
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