Assault on cop: CSOs want Adamawa Speaker prosecuted
Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called for the prosecution of the Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Kabiru Mijinyawa, for allegedly beating up a police Sergeant attached to him. While the police have confirmed the development, a witness told journalists in Yola Friday that the speaker was angered when the policeman complained about non-payment of his allowances. The speaker was said to have grabbed the policeman and slapped him severally until the man was rescued by some security men around.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Othman Abubakar, confirmed the development, saying the commander in charge of Yola Area Command was handling the matter.
Reacting to the development yesterday in Abuja, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) and the Partners for Electoral Reforms (PER) said the development is distasteful and should not be allowed to go unpunished.
The Director of the CDD Idayat Hassan said it is bad that such can happen in a democracy and that the right of the policeman has been infringed upon.
“The affected policeman should defend his right. Also, the Police Authority should act. This should not be allowed to stand and the attacker should be dealt with according to the dictates of the law,” she said.
Meanwhile police said yesterday that they are still investigating the incident. The police spokesman in the state, SP Othman Abubakar, who confirmed the incident to journalists said the police had not swept the matter aside as it was still before the commander in charge of Yola Area Command.
However, a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Yahaya Muhammed Daji, said the report was baseless.
The speaker described the report as baseless, false and unfounded. He stated that as a legislator, he has utmost respect for the rule of law and will not carry out such act against anybody let alone a police officer attached to him.