Paul Orude, Bauchi
Following protests by youth across the country against brutality by banned Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state on Wednesday inaugurated a judicial panel of inquiry to probe cases of human rights abuses.
Inaugurating the panel at the Banquet Hall of Government House Bauchi, the governor said the panel was set up to address violation of citizens rights in the state.
The terms of reference of the panel are to receive complaints, petitions from members of the public, identify the culprits and proffer recommendations to the government.
Mohammed stated that the committee is to submit its report within six months and promised that the administration would implement its recommendations and prosecute the erring police officers.
The committee has the following members include; Justice Habibu Idris Shall (Rtd. High Court Judge) as Chairman, CP. Hamisu Makama (Rtd) Member, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Bauchi State Chapter Member, Barr. Jibrin S. Jibrin, Civil Society Groups, Bauchi State as Member and representative of Human Right Commission Bauchi State Office (NHRC) as Member.
Others are representative of FIDA, Bauchi State Office as Member, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bauchi State as Member, representative of Jama’atul Nasrul Islam (JNI) Bauchi State Chapter as Member, representative of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Bauchi State – Member, representative of National Council of Women Society, Bauchi State (NCWS) – Member, representative of National Youth Council of Nigeria Bauchi State -Member, representative of NACCIMA, Bauchi State as Member, representative of Miyetti Allah Kautel Hore, Bauchi State as Member and representative of Miyetti Allah MACBAN.
The rest are Bauchi State representative of NURTW, Bauchi State as Member, Comrade Mohammed Nasiru Umar ATBU representing NUBASS as Member while representative of Attorney-General/Commissioner of Justice will serve as secretary.
The governor urged members of the committee to bring their wealth of knowledge and experience in the discharge of their assignment.