By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
A retired civil servant, Dominic Loko, has petitioned the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Hasan Yabanet, to investigate the alleged inhuman degrading treatment, assault, and attempted murder of his son, Loko Paul Sughter, by a team of police personnel headed by Inspector Kito from Lessel, headquarters of Ushongo LGA.
In a petition copied to the Executive Secretary, National Human Right Commission (NHRC), Abuja, and the Benue State Coordinator of NHRC, Loko alleged that on August 12, his son was in the market square drinking native liquor with friends when they heard gunshots.
In the chaos, his son’s bag containing N14,000, a handset, and charger fell, and the police officer shooting at him picked up the bag.
He appealed to the Commissioner of Police to prevail on the police officer in custody of his son’s handbag to return it with the mentioned items inside intact.
Loko also suggested that since the action of the police has made his son a father of two with a wife incapacitated such that he could no longer feed his family, those responsible should be compelled to take care of the victim and his family, refund the money he the father has spent on medical bills, the victim’s feeding, and those taken care of him in the hospital to serve as a deterrent.
He also appealed that the Commissioner intervene by prevailing on the officers to tender unreserved apologies to the victim and the general public for acting unlawfully, insisting that prior to the incident, his son was not either declared wanted or a criminal.
When contacted for confirmation and the level of investigation into the matter, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO of the Benue Command SP, Sewuese Anene, said she has not received such information at the time of this report.