Abuja Resident Tells Panel How Police Arrested His Brother, Took Money For Bail But Later Told Him He Died

An Abuja resident, Francis Awulu, sought justice from the Independent Investigative Panel on alleged police brutality in Abuja, over the death of his younger brother, Emmanuel who he alleged to have been tortured to death while in police custody.

The family of the deceased had filed a petition bordering on alleged extra-judicial killing against Inspector Atuma Cletus and other operatives of the defunct SARS, who they claimed were involved in the case.

In his testimony, Francis said his brother was arrested by Atuma on 20th August 2019 around Gwagwalada and was remanded at SARS office in Abbatoir.

He said all efforts to see him proved abortive as the police operatives kept asking him for money in order to release him.

He added that it was after he was forced to give Atuma 8,000 naira that the police official claimed that his brother was part of a cult gang.

Still pressing to find his brother, he said he had to pay 60,000 naira to the same Atuma but he was eventually told on August 26, 2019 that Emmanuel had died.

Awulu urged the panel to compensate the family while prosecuting the officers involved.

Meanwhile, the panel, chaired by Justice Suleiman Galadima (retd) adjourned the matter to April 16th 2021 for cross examination.