Political Impasse: Body Lawyers Serves Bauchi Police 48hr Notice To Make Its Finding Public
By Khalid Idris Doya
Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBALAC) has condemned in totality the dangerous trend of politicking and series of weighty allegations against the APC and its governorship candidate, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (rtd).
To this end, the body has served a 48 hour notice on the State Police Command in the state to rise to these allegations/issues and make its finding public.
BOBALAC at a press conference in Bauchi led by its convener and secretary, Barr. Abdullatif Isa and Barr. Abubakar Idris respectively, said that failure to swiftly act on the notice the body would have no option to take legal action against the command.
“We are serving a further notice that failure, refusal or neglect to positively act in this regard will leave us with the only option of instituting the appropriate legal action so that the age-long legal principle of the law existing for the safety, security and well-being of all and that it is not a respecter of any person or status is reiterated”.
Barrister Abdullatif Isa explained that the press briefing is necessitated by the growing tension, fear and general state of uncertainty that is prevailing over the atmosphere in Bauchi State.
He said that the briefing is also occasioned by a series of security breaches that has characterized the campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Governorship Candidate in Bauchi State in the person of Air Marshal Sadiq Baba Abubakar (rtd).
Barrister Isa recalled that virtually all the major governorship candidates in the state such as Governor Bala Mohammad (Kauran Bauchi) of the PDP as well as that of the NNPP have been conducting their campaigns for the governorship election peacefully, devoid of violence nor any security breach.
He expressed dismay that it is only the APC and its governorship candidate that have been holding themselves out as an exception in this regard, saying its campaign activities have been marred by one form of violent conduct with its attendant negative consequences or the other.
“Unfortunately, and from the news and information out there, it is only the APC and its governorship candidate that have been holding themselves out as an exception in this regard. This is because so far, they are the only people whose campaign activities have been marred by one form of violent conduct with its attendant negative consequences or the other.”
“Now as the issue has been dominating the public space across the state, it has become absolutely necessary for us as an assemblage of learned minds who have been in the vanguards of the advocacy for responsible, orderly, civilized and lawful conduct in the state.
“We call on the security agencies to rise to the occasion by providing satisfactory account on the allegations linked to the APC and its candidate on the series of the shootings as well as other violent conducts that characterized its campaigns which resulted in a number of fatalities as was said to be the case in Akuyam in Misau local government, Duguri in Alkaleri LGA among other places.”
They said that the life of every innocent citizen is priceless and therefore the police and other security agencies must provide satisfactory explanation on the role of the APC and its candidate regarding these incidents.
“It is not acceptable nor shall we as the conscience of the society and representatives of defenceless citizens and fellow compatriots watch idly in the face of these serious assaults on the security and safety of our people.”
“We further observe that since the first incident at Akuyam and even against the background of formal request for certified information and report in that respect submitted to the police by several stakeholders including this august body spanning many weeks now, they have not responded nor did they offer any satisfactory explanation on the matter.”
