By Samuel Aruwan
Kaduna
The family of late DSP Nanbol Audu, the Chief Armament Officer of the Kaduna state Police Command who the police authorities claimed committed suicide while in detention following his arrest for gun-running, has dragged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to a Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna demanding N1 billion as damage. Also joined in the suit is Kaduna State Commissioner of Police.
Audu, the police said, was arrested on October 23, this year, in an attempt to sell arms to two civilians from Plateau state at the police armoury where he was in charge and thereafter paraded before journalists by the Commissioner of Police, Umaru Farouk.
Farouk had said: “DSP Nanbol Audu came to the Armory with two unknown persons in a private vehicle, parked behind the Armory and loaded some firearms into the vehicles. Policemen on guard suspected foul play and immediately stopped the vehicle from leaving the premises. During search at the spot, 11 G3 rifles already concealed under the vehicle seat were recovered.
“The family is asking the court for an order to declare that the gruesome killing of unarmed and defenceless Nanbol Audu, in the early hours of Frida, October 31, 2014, while in detention in the cell of the Police in Kaduna without a court order and without any justifiable cause amounting to an infraction of his fundamental right to life guaranteed by Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“They are also asking the court to declare that there is no justification whatsoever for the gruesome killing, by shooting, of late DSP Nanbol Audu inside the State CID cell without court orders. The family is demanding for N1 billion as compensation for the loss of maintenance from the Police.
“The family prayed to the court to hold that the late DSP Nanbol Audu’s right to life have been cut short deserving of protection by the court.”