Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir has on Wednesday inaugurated a 17-member judicial panel of inquiry to probe possible human rights violations by members of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.
The governor who inaugurated the panel following protests by Nigerians in different parts of the country against allegations of police brutality by the squad said the panel was given six months within which it was expected to submit a comprehensive and final report.
The governor said the terms of reference of the panel were to receive oral or written complaints, and petitions from members of the public, identify the culprits and proffer recommendations to the government.
The committee according to the governor would be headed by Justice Habibu Idris Shall (Rtd. High Court Judge) as Chairman.
Members of the committee include CP. Hamisu Makama (Rtd), Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Bauchi State Chapter Member, Barr. Jibrin S. Jibrin, Civil Society Groups, Bauchi State as Member and representative of Human Right Commission Bauchi State Office (NHRC) as Member.
Others were; representative of FIDA, Bauchi State Office as Member, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bauchi State as Member, representative of Jama’atul Nasrul Islam (JNI) Bauchi State Chapter as Member, representative of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Bauchi State – Member,
The panel also houses representative of National Council of Women Society, Bauchi State (NCWS) – Member, representative of National Youth Council of Nigeria Bauchi State -Member, representative of NACCIMA, Bauchi State as Member, representative of Miyetti Allah Kautel Hore, Bauchi State as Member and representative of Miyetti Allah MACBAN.
The rest were, Bauchi State representative of NURTW, Bauchi State as Member, Comrade Mohammed Nasiru Umar ATBU representing NUBASS as Member while representative of Attorney-General/Commissioner of Justice will serve as secretary.
Governor Mohammed tasked the members of the committee to apply their knowledge and wisdom justly in the discharge of their duties.
Commenting on behalf of the panel, Justice Habibu Idris, its chairman assured the governor that they will discharge their duties without fear or favor within the time frame allotted to them.
