The House of Representatives has mandated its committee on Police Affairs to investigate the alleged harassment, intimidation and human rights violation of Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima by men of the Nigeria Police. This followed the adoption of a motion moved as a matter of urgent national importance on the subject by Hon Ibrahim Shehu Gusau (ANPP, Zamfara), yesterday.
Yerima, a former governor of Zamfara State and a serving senator, was on Saturday arrested by the police at the premises of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Kaduna, detained and questioned for about three hours after which he was released. Leading debate on the motion, Gusau condemned the arrest of the Senator whose fundamental human rights he claimed had been violated.
He said, “His alleged offence, according to the Police was that the senator made some inciting comments during a popular Hausa phone-in-programme Hannu Da Yawa.
“The comment the senator made was in answer to a question on registering APC which he said a call for mass peaceful protest would be made if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused to register APC after it would have met all necessary and legal requirements”.
Querying the reason adduced for the arrest which was still just an intention, he said, “When did an intention to call for a peaceful protest become inciting in a democratic dispensation?
“Where is the right to peaceful assembly and association as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?
He added, “Section 39(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which says ‘Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference’ has been violated by this action.”
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