By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
FOLLOWING the death of a suspected member of a kidnap gang, Aliyu Buhari who allegedly died in custody of the DSS in Sokoto, the family of the deceased has appealed to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Sultan of Sokoto, Director General of State Security Services and the Inspector General of Police to investigate the matter and bring those involved to justice.
Also extended the passionate appeal for justice include the Attorney General of the Federation, the Legal Aid Council, Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International, other human rights and Civil Society Organisations accordingly.
However, the deceased, 25, who is said to be a bread seller at a shop he owned at Kofar Marke area of Sokoto metropolis before his demise was suspected to be among a gang of four who kidnapped a 4yr old Umar Bashar for ransome.
Though, the alleged amount requested as ransome by the gang is not known.
Addressing a press conference under the banner” Passionate Appeal for Justice: A Cry for Justice” on behalf of the family and relatives of the deceased Sunday evening in Sokoto, Bashar Isah Audi said the family is forced to table its grievances before the world over the sad incidence(death)that trailed Buhari’s arrest by the DSS operatives on Saturday October 27th, 2018.
” The operatives met the deceased suspect while sleeping in his shop with their operational vehicles(two jeeps and a Hilux) to arrest him at 11:40pm after firing some gun shots in the air on that Saturday to an unknown destination”, Audi alleged.
He said ” We only got to know of the incident the next day which was Sunday 28th October, 2018.”
However, the family alleged that some of the relatives decided to go to the DSS for inquiry on why late Buhari was arrested and requested to see him but were not granted their demands.
Audi explained while claiming that two weeks to the incident, late Buhari lost his phone which he could not trace until his death.
” Until Tuesday 30th October when Chika Abubakar was given access to see late Buhari who was in a terrible condition after which no body was allowed to see him until 1st November when a DSS official visited the family house and told them to come to the office only to be told that Aliyu Buhari is dead.
” To our dismay, were informed that Buhari is dead and no body hitherto, told us what happened to our brother and what exactly led to his death among others”, he said.
It was gathered that the deceased was arrested through his mobile phone number used by the gang to call the families(father) Bashar Buhari Siriddawa of the kidnapped boy for ransome.
Similarly, joining the family in solidarity, a rights group under the auspices of Freedom for Humanity International Foundation(FFHIF) condemned the alleged suspicious killing of Aliyu Buhari by the DSS.
In a release issued to reporters by the foundation’s Sokoto state chapter said ” the foundation condemned in totality the killing of an indigene of the state, Aliyu Buhari a.k.a Zaki Mai Burodi by DSS officials in their custody.
” In a letter of appeal for justice sent to us by the relatives of the deceased, indicated that the officials of the DSS them access to their late brother upto the time they sent to them a message of his death”, the foundation noted.
However, when contacted, the DSS said it will respond at the appropriate time.
