A 34-year-old man, Terfa Gundu, on Monday November 16, recounted to the Benue state Judicial Panel of Inquiry how members of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS, unlawfully arrested and tortured him until he confessed to ”a crime he knew nothing about.”
Terfa the police accused him of stealing after which he was tortured until he admitted to the crime which he said he knew nothing about. He said
”They arrested me and took me to Mopol 13 and they took me to one small room and asked me to prove the items that I have stolen. I told them that I do not know what they are talking about.
They handcuffed me and asked me to squat. They put a rod across me and then started using a baton to beat me my body such as my hands and knees.
Afterwards, they poured fuel on my back and used lighter to ignite it.
When it became painful for me, I told them to drop me that I am the one that carried the things.”
Chairman of the panel, Justice Adam Onum, said the panel has so far received 28 petitions and promised that justice will be served to all.
On October 8, Nigerians took to the streets to demand an end to SARS and police brutality. The Federal government thereafter set up judicial panels in different states for Nigerians to come forward with their petitions against erring SARS officers so they can get justice.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
