Forgery Case: IGP’s Witnesses Scored Credit In English But Testified In Hausa

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Wednesday, presented two witnesses before a Federal High Court, Abuja, in the 106-count alleged forgery and impersonation charge instituted against S. Jonathan and 23 others who had sought entry into the Nigeria Police Force.

But a mild drama played out during cross examination of the witnesses when counsel for some of the defendants asked why the witnesses testified in Hausa language when they both claimed to have scored credit (C5) in English.

THE WHISTLER reported that the suspects were on December 18, 2020 arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo on the charges, but they all pleaded not guilty.

Part of the charges reads: “That you… sometimes between 2018 to 2020 at the Nigeria Police College Borno, being bound by law to state the truth, did swear on oath, and gave an information that is false and as such committed an offense punishable by law.

“That you…on the same date and place, did assume the name, designation of police officers, and thereby committed an offense punishable by Section 42 of the Police Act…”

On Wednesday, the prosecutor’s counsel, O. Joseph brought in two witnesses, Muhammad Bako (a businessman) and Sefola Idris Ahmad (a farmer residing in Kano), to testify against the accused persons.

In his testimony in Hausa, Bako recalled how a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) had ordered his arrest on June 10, 2020.

He noted that he once applied to be recruited into the police force but never got the job.

“The DPO told me that there is a police man that is using my name,” he added.

On his part, Ahmad (who also testified in Hausa language) said he had also applied for police job without success. He said as time went on, he noticed that someone else in force was using his name at Modobi Local Government and made a complaint at the Bompai Police station, Kano.

“When examination result was out, my name was out at Police College Maiduguri but I insisted that I did not write any examination,” he added.

But during cross examination, counsel for the 9 to 16 defendant, Saidu Jubril, separately asked the two witnesses if they knew the requirements for applying into the police college.

They replied that it required a Secondary school certificate, primary Certificate, National Identity Card, among others.

“In your result, what did you have in English?” the counsel asked both Bako and Ahmad, of which they responded that they said they had Credit (C5).

Ahmad also testified that though he gave a police statement in Hausa, he was not the one that wrote it.

“I understand English but I cannot speak fluently in court,” he added.

Meanwhile, Justice Ekwo also asked one of the witnesses if he gave his police statement in Hausa language or English, going by the fact that his certificate showed that he had credit in English, but Ahmad said he gave his in Hausa language.

Subsequently, the judge adjourned to February 25 for continuation of trial.