The 40 suspects arrested by Bauchi State police command for allegedly stoning the convoy of President Goodluck Jonathan, in Bauchi, on January 22, during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign in the state, have petitioned the Chief Judge of Nigeria (CJN) and the National Human Rights Commission, Tribune reports.
The suspects, who wrote the petition, dated February 24, 2015, through their counsel, Shipi Rabo of YB Kirfi Chamber in Bauchi, are alleging that the police violated their fundamental human rights and their right to freedom.
They attached the police’s First Investigation Report (FIR) dated February 18, 2015 with serial number 071/2015 to their petition addressed to the CJN and the Executive Secretary, NHRC.
They stated that the police committed them to prison without arraigning them before a competent court of law.
According to Barrister Rabo, the suspects were detained in police custody for a number of days before being taken to Bauchi Federal Prison, noting that this was contrary to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which stipulates that any suspects on detention should be arraigned in court between 24 and 48 hours, depending on the proximity of the court.
He alleged that contrary to the constitution, the suspects were held in prison custody at a time courts in the state were on strike, adding that they were only arraigned before Bauchi Chief Magistrate’s Court 3 on February 19.
The petition also urged the CJN and the NHRC to indict any person found to have been involved in such unconstitutional activity.
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The suspects, who wrote the petition, dated February 24, 2015, through their counsel, Shipi Rabo of YB Kirfi Chamber in Bauchi, are alleging that the police violated their fundamental human rights and their right to freedom.
They attached the police’s First Investigation Report (FIR) dated February 18, 2015 with serial number 071/2015 to their petition addressed to the CJN and the Executive Secretary, NHRC.
They stated that the police committed them to prison without arraigning them before a competent court of law.
According to Barrister Rabo, the suspects were detained in police custody for a number of days before being taken to Bauchi Federal Prison, noting that this was contrary to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which stipulates that any suspects on detention should be arraigned in court between 24 and 48 hours, depending on the proximity of the court.
He alleged that contrary to the constitution, the suspects were held in prison custody at a time courts in the state were on strike, adding that they were only arraigned before Bauchi Chief Magistrate’s Court 3 on February 19.
The petition also urged the CJN and the NHRC to indict any person found to have been involved in such unconstitutional activity.
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