The sudden demise of Yahaya Shehu Shinkafi in the hands of the Sokoto Police could not be any farther from the reality of what Ted Koppel asserted.
Though, Walter Cronkite affirmed that, “Our job is to hold the mirror…to tell and show the public what has happened’’
But with certain miseries, except with a living testimony, fathoming the certainty of perpetrators would be a matter of mere suspicion. However, his friend Bashar Dahiru testified to the alleged brutal killing of Yahaya Shinkafi by the Police in Sabon Brini local government of Sokoto State.
Narrating the incident to LEADRRSHIP Friday, Bashar Dahiru said they were on their way to Teke Market on that fateful Sunday before they were stopped by the Police and asked us to alight from the vehicles on grounds that they were suspected to be drug addicts.
“We were on our way to Teke market before the Police stopped us on the way, and we stopped for them. They now asked us to come down on grounds that they suspected us to be drug addicts. The Police gripped my friend and me but he escaped their grip and ran away.”
“Shortly after my friend escaped, the Police asked the driver of the vehicle to go and leave us there. And he actually left us. The Police now said they were going to take us away. But before then, they asked if I had anybody and I replied yes. I sent for one of my masters to be called for me but he was not around.”
“After then, the Police pulled off my shirt and used it to tie my hands at the back. They also pulled off my trouser and used same to tie my legs and told me that since I had nobody to come and vouch for me, I should wait for their next line of action.”
“While I was still tied down, the Police asked me again if there was any other person that could come to rescue me and I answered that we should wait for a while to see. As we were waiting, the Police saw my friend that escaped. They then asked me to lie down there in the bush, saying they would free me as soon as they arrested him and I said okay. After that, they left me where I was tied with the supervision of two Mobile Police Officers.”
“One of the Police officers, came from behind and they both entered into their vehicle and zoomed off to the market. Those staying behind called one of their colleagues who had driven to the market, telling them that my friend entered into a vehicle that was carrying cows.”
“The Police then drove back and stopped that vehicle that was carrying cows. Immediately they stopped, one of the Police officers, who was called from the market, instantly alighted in front of the vehicle carrying cows at the middle of the road.”
“The Police officer gripped my friend again but he was able to escape and ran into one nearby millet farm. Those officers guarding me then said they should go and help the other one who re-arrested my friend saying he was about to escape again.”
“One of the Police officers instantly climbed a motorcycle and left to assist his colleague.”
“After he reached the place, the Police officers chased my friend into the millet farm. I was still tied and under their supervision while all these was happening”.
“Giving account of how he was rescued, Bashar said one of his uncles came and inquired from the Police what transpired. My uncle mediated and the Police demanded that we pay 1500 to bail ourselves.”
“The Police then told us that they had granted us bail and they went ahead to bring my friend but he was evidently unconscious then.”
“The Police officers brought my friend on a motorcycle because he could not even stand on his own. They asked me to help my friend to stand so that we could go.”
“I stood him up first, second and third time but he could not stand on his own. My friend always fell down the moment I left him to stand on his own. I now began to wonder what must have gone wrong because when we both left the house, he was healthy. When they brought him, there were no bruises on his body, but he could no longer talk or stand on his own without somebody supporting him”.
“In a calculated attempt to cover up their atrocity, the Police pressured me to carry my friend and go but I logically refused haven seen his condition, especially that he was very healthy when we left the house but then, he could no longer talk or move his body.”
“The Police then requested that I should use a motorcycle to carry him to the market but I told them that I did not have the money to pay. The Police then told me to carry him on grounds that after reaching the market, I would surely see somebody who I knew and who would give me 100 naira to pay the motorcycle and I objected.”
“I told them to wait and let me go to the market to look for the money or bring a motorcycle from there to come and carry him, but the Police said no, adding that, I should wait and carry him.”
“When I discovered that the Police were trying to play on my intelligence by forcing me to stay with my friend, I then insisted that they should allow me to go to the market and get a motorcycle that would come and convey my friend.”
“On reaching the market, I was unable to get a motorcycle. Therefore, I refused going back to where I left them. I was only told after sometime that my friend, with whom we were arrested together, died because I did not go back”.
As law-abiding citizens, the parents however, decided not to take the law into their hands, hence the formal complaint to the State Commissioner of Police, Salisu Fagge.
Fagge, after investigation, further confirmed the arrest of three Police officers in respect of the case. He also assured that investigation is still ongoing.
Talking with a very pathetic voice, the father of the deceased, Alhaji Shehu Uba Akwanadaji, Shinkafi inferred that, he traveled when the incident actually happened. But he has the firm belief that, his son was killed because he told the Police the truth about road blocking and extortion of money from road users.
“Those that prepared his corpse for burial, they said, my son’s neck seemed to be broken.”
“Though, I was not in Sokoto when the incident happened. I travelled to Birnin Gwari local government when it happened on Sunday and he died that same day. I did not return until Thursday. On reaching home, I discovered that my house was filled with women and some people seated looking worried.”
“I asked what was wrong and they replied that it was my son, Yahaya that died. I disturbingly asked what happened to him and they said it was some Police officers that killed him.”
“I was told that my son was sent to the market to go and buy chicken before the Police asked him and his friend (Bashar) to drop from the vehicle. They arrested Bashir, tied him and my son, Yahaya where they do stop to extort money from drivers. My son, Yahaya reportedly escaped and ran to a village called Tashan Bugaruwa. Somebody then came and told the Police that, he saw my son, Yahaha, whom they arrested, in Tashan Bugaruwa.
“The Police then joined one vehicle and arrested him but he ran into a nearby millet farm and they chased him. They caught him and dealt with him to their satisfaction before demanding that, his friend should get a vehicle to take him to the market.”
“I was informed that, the Police dealt with him because he reminded them that, President Muhammadu Buhari has discouraged this act of blocking road and collecting money from travelers.”
“We informed the Commissioner of Police and he demanded that those Police officers be brought to the Command. As I am talking to you, those Police officers are in Sokoto.”
“Some of the relatives of the Police Officers that carried out this act have come to pay condolence visit and demand for forgiveness.”
“But all I am demanding now is justice. Justice and that is all”.
On why Yahaya and his friend were actually going to the market on that fateful day, the elder sister, Sadiya Shehu Shinkafi, told LEADERSHIP Friday that she gave her younger brother, Yahaha Shehu Shinkafi 37,000 naira on Sunday morning and asked him to buy chicken for her from the market.
“I waited till about 4pm without seeing him, only for the wife to come and say her husband has died.”
“I said, though, death is inevitable but this particular one is very shocking. I now asked, who told her and she said it was her mother that sent her to inform me. I now called some of my neighbours and pleaded with them to follow me to Isah local government since they said my brother’s corpse was with the Police there.”
“When we got to Isah Police Station, we were told that they had not gotten any report on any accident or death. They however offered to give us one of the Police officers to follow us to the hospital where we could make inquiry.”
“While in one of the hospitals, we were told they had no such case and referred us to another hospital. As we were on our way, one of my neigbhours then offered to call the chairperson of Road Transport Workers to know if they had any report of road accident or death that day.”
Credits: LEADERSHIP
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