Petitioner was shot within the ambit of the law, counsel tells NHRC panel

The police on Friday declared before the independent investigative panel on human rights violations by the defunct SARS and other police units, sitting in Abuja, that a police officer who shot a petitioner, Tairu Garba, acted within the ambit of the law. 

Counsel for the police, Fidelis Ogbobe, made the declaration while adopting his final written address in the petition filed before the panel by Garba, marked 2020/IIP-SARS/ABJ/164, in which he alleged torture, cruel and inhuman treatment against Inspector Atabo Okpanachi of Enjema Police Division in Kogi State, the state Commissioner of Police and Inspector-General of Police.

Ogbobe told the panel that shooting Garba was justified in law, submitting that the fact that the life of the officer in question was in danger necessitated the shooting.

According to the police counsel, Garba had not been able to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt, adding that the case had some elements of criminality.

He submitted that going by the petitioner’s written address regarding the evidence of the second respondent, Ali Abubakar,  the police officers’ lives were in danger before Garba was shot having attempted to snatch a police rifle.

Garba had on August 11, 2021 while testifying before the panel said he could no longer farm since he was shot in the left leg, which was eventually amputated.

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Narrating what led to his leg being amputated, Garba informed that in the night of July 7, 2020, it was discovered that a young man buried charms at a place members of his community used to meet and he went to Enjema Police station to report it.

He further informed that on the following day, while they gathered at the spot where the charms were buried, Inspector Okpanachi arrived at the scene with some vigilante group members and ordered everyone to kneel down.

He said his audacity to challenge the police officers led to his being shot in the leg.

Garba, however, pleaded with the panel to order the police to pay compensation to him.

The matter was adjourned for the report.