The office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Zone 1 in Kano State has arrested one Abba Zizu, a Senior Special Reporter, SSR, to Governor Abba Yusuf attached to the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, for assaulting a staff of the ministry.
Mr Zizu’s arrest, DAILY NIGERIAN gathered, was sequel to a petition to the AIG by lawyers of the assaulted staff identified as Mahbub Hassan, Assistant Chief Agric Officer in the ministry.
The petition, dated January 24 and signed by Hussain A. Maqari of Attibyan Chambers, a law firm, was also copied to the Kano chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.
In the petition, Mr Maqari narrated that the embattled SSR allegedly slapped his client “severally” for allowing a visitor to see the Commissioner without following protocol.
According to Mr Maqari, Mr Zizu had to chase the said visitor out of the ministry before assaulting Mr Hassan.
The petition read: “That around 3:30 pm yesterday 23rd of January, 2025 while our client was in office when he noticed that one Abba Zizu, a Senior Special Reporter to the Governor of Kano State attached to the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture & Natural Resources approached an old man rudely chasing him out of the Ministry to the extent of mercilessly beating him just because he came to visit the Honourable Commissioner without observing their political protocols.
“That promptly after dealing with the said helpless old man, he then furiously and arrogantly accosted our client intimidating, insulting & assaulting him to the extent of severally slapping him just because a needy stranger was carelessly allowed to intrude into a den of an appointed commissioner as if it is not a public office.
“That in view of the above, we urge your good office to swiftly arrest and thoroughly investigate this unbecoming, uncivilized, imprudent and irresponsible attitude of the said Abba Zizu against our innocent client who is a devoted Kano State Civil Servant and we humbly request that the matter be referred to court for proper prosecution of the culprit.”
Speaking to our correspondent in a telephone interview in Kano on Tuesday, Mr Maqari confirmed Mr Zizu’s arrest, but said he was released on bail.
According to the lawyer, Mr Zizu and all other parties involved in the matter have been invited to the Zone 1 today (Tuesday) to take more statements and take further action.
“As I am talking to you now, the SSR has been released on bail. But we have been invited to go back for further investigation and actions.
“What the SSR did was very rude. He assaulted a civil servant over an offence that he did not know about.
“But he has regretted his action at the Zone 1. He confessed to have assaulted the staff and expressed remorse over his action,” Mr Maqari disclosed.
The lawyer also said staff of the ministry have also joined in the case to ensure justice for their colleague.
When contacted on Whatsapp for comment, the embattled SSR claimed that he never assaulted the staff, saying that the claim is untrue.
