Police Intimidated, Kept  me under House Arrest, Laments Yuguda 

By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The immediate past governor of Bauchi State, Malam Isa Yuguda has alleged that  Police  violated his fundamental human rights by putting him under house arrest, intimidation and harassment of his Bauchi residence during his last visit to the state.

Yuguda who made the allegations  through his spokesman and former Commissioner of information in the state, Alhaji Salisu Ahmed Barau while talking to journalists in Bauchi yesterday, said  ‘‘the state police command  in collaboration  with the Bauchi State government,  in a  calculated plot to embarrass and humiliate me before a multitude of my supporters in the state who trooped out to welcome me home after more than a year’s absence from the country during which I went to take care of my health and treat an undisclosed ailment’’.

“The police have violated my fundamental human rights and intimidated me.  I was put under 12-hour house arrest on November 24 in Bauchi  by the Bauchi State Police Command when I visited home.

‘‘Since I was not going for any public procession or political rally so  had nothing to do with the order given by state government and the police, so I left for Bauchi on November 24 accompanied by the 10 mobile policemen from the IGP. To my utter shock, neither the Bauchi CP nor his men were at the airport against the IGP’s directive

“The crowd of supporters at the airport surged and became uncontrollable. I  feared for the safety of the surging crowd and while another tumultuous crowd we learnt was eagerly waiting at home, so we drove straight to my house near the Government House where, after many hours the CP suddenly called and asked me to remain in the house.

“Then I asked the CP if I was under house arrest to which he  replied in the affirmative. I accused the CP for putting me under illegal forceful imprisonment.

“The next thing we saw was that the CP sent his men to cordon off and barricade my house for many hours until the authorities in Abuja later ordered him to dislodge the barricade and ensure that he escorts me to any part of Bauchi .”As a former governor if I should be treated this way by the police what more of ordinary Nigerian citizens, is a pity the system is a mess, am not the only former governor who visits home, we have them many who always visit their home state, and why is my own exceptional.  

 “That is why I supported and adopted the motion by Representative  Ahmed Yerima (Bauchi), which the  House mandated its committee on police affairs to probe the matter and report back in four weeks for further action. Rep Yerima on motion said the Bauchi State Police Command harasses citizens at will. He said the state police command recently harassed and intimidated a former governor of the state, Malam Isa Yuguda”.

Reacting over the issue  the Bauchi State police c‎ommand spokesperson, SP Haruna Mohammed said the police only acted on the intelligence they received to do what they did.

“We have access to intelligence and we acted on it. It is our routine security measure to avert any breakdown of law and order because we have reports that some people are planning to disrupt the peace in the state ,”he said.