The New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, has condemned the killing of a teenager, Salisu Player, by the police during a peaceful protest at Kurnar Asabe area of Dala Local Government Area of Kano.
Abba Kawu-Ali, acting national chairman of NNPP, stated this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
Mr Kawu-Ali said the protester was shot dead while two others are in critical conditions.
He added that the incident occurred on Tuesday evening during a peaceful protest.
Mr Kawu-Ali emphasized that NNPP had always asked its members and supporters to do their protest in a peaceful manner, stressing that “the protest around Kurna where Salisu Player was shot, though spontaneous, was not different.”
“NNPP hereby brings to the attention of Nigerians and the world at large that the Nigeria Police have shot dead a young man, Salisu Player, somewhere around Kurna in Dala Local Government Area of Kano state.
“He is one of the three people shot while the others are in critical conditions. The incident occurred yesterday evening during a peaceful protest.
“The NNPP has always asked the citizens to do their protest in a peaceful manner and the protest around Kurna where Salisu Player was shot, though spontaneous, was not different.
“It would appear that men of the Nigeria Police are ill-trained for handling even peaceful protests as we regret the recorded death which is painful and unfortunate.
“We commiserate with friends and family of the deceased as we urge all the people of Kano to remain calm and restrained from acting outside the rule of law,” the statement added.
Police confirms killing, launches probe
The Kano state Police Command, in a statement by its spokesman, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, on Wednesday said it is following up with what it described as the “unfortunate development”.
“The Police Command is following up on the unfortunate development that occurred in Kurna Quarters, Fagge LGA Kano State on 28th November, 2023 where groups of rival restive youths engaged in fighting and a Police Inspector who did not receive any command from the existing chain of Command fired a shot and unfortunately wounded two persons with one other person died while receiving treatment at the Hospital.
“It is in the forgoing development that the Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, FIPMA, psc directed the Area Commander Dala, ACP Nuhu Mohammed Digi to fish out the erring Police Inspector with a view to constituting a board of inquiry into the cause of the incident of which the outcome will be communicated to the public. Few hours later, the Police Inspector has since been arrested and is now in Police custody.
“This action of the Police Inspector is quite regrettable. This is because, since the assumption of office of the CP, the Police have never entered into confrontation with the members of the public talk less of firing gunshot. It is a known fact that the Police Command is fully committed to the respect of rights and freedom of all people. Therefore, the Command is calling on members of the public to be rest assured that justice will be served in handling the situation which is quite strange when compared with the cordial relationship existing between the Police and the Public.
“The Commissioner of Police while commiserating with the family of the deceased and praying for the departed soul, urged members of the public to maintain calmness as the Command is taking the incident with utmost seriousness and is committed to upholding the principle of justice and transparency.
“Please let us all recognize that this is a trying period for the Police Command alongside all the peace-loving people of the State as “hijackers” are all over the place to turn the protest political and instigate the escalation of violence which will not be in the interest of the State,” the statement added.
The Court of Appeal had in its judgement read by the chairman of the Kano governorship appeal panel, Justice Moore Adumein, on November 17 upheld the judgement of the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, declaring APC candidate, Nasiru Gawuna, as winner of the governorship election in the state.
But when the certified true copy of the judgement was released by the court four days after, the appellate court set aside the judgement of the tribunal and awarded N1million cost against the APC.
