By Sadiq Abubakar
Maiduguri
Bundigari community in Damaturu, Yobe state, has accused the army in Damaturu of extra-judicial killing of a 26-year-old Ibrahim Bala, who was arrested after a raid within the community.
A member of the community, Ali Useni, told reporters in Damaturu that Ibrahim was brutalised in the hands of the military and could not make it to the hospital after he was released to them.
“The military after serious torture of Ibrahim and the other 6 people that were arrested called us and handed them over to us but the torture on Ibrahim by the military was too much that he died before we got to the Gen. Sani Abatcha Specialist hospital,” Useni said.
While the community is crying for justice for the killing of their brother, the spokesman of the 27 Task Force Brigade, Lt. George Okupe, in his reaction, said the deceased and the other six suspects were curfew breakers.
He also denied knowledge that one of the suspects was dead.
“As far as I know, those arrested were curfew breakers, but I don’t have knowledge that one of the people died because the information I got is that those boys were released this morning and none was reported to have died,” Lt. Okupe said.
He, however, informed that the commander had already set-up and investigation team to look into the matter.
The military recently issued a warning to residents of Damaturu who were flaunting the curfew orders in the state which normally starts from 10.00pm to 6.00pm.
The army in the fresh warning said they would deal mercilessly with anyone caught outside the curfew hours.