A victim of police brutality, Terfa Gundu, has narrated his ordeal with the personnel of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Benue State.
Speaking before the Benue State Judicial Panel of Inquiry, 34-year-old Gundu alleged that policemen from Mopol 13 Makurdi poured fuel for a crime he knew nothing about.
While disclosing this in Makurdi on Monday, the victim said the police personnel hung him on a rod, beat and poured fuel on his back before setting him ablaze all in a bid to forcefully implicate him.
The victim said his ordeal began when he stepped out to buy some provisions in Makurdi, adding that he was arrested and dragged to Mopol 13 for a torture session, as he now claiming N5billion as damages.
“They arrested me and took me to MOPOL 13. They took me to one small room and asked me to provide the items that I have stolen,” he said.
“I told them I don’t know what they are talking about. So they handcuffed me and asked me to squat down and put a rod across. They packed me up and were using a baton to beat me on sensitive parts of my body.
“After some time, they poured fuel at my back and used lighter to ignite the light. When it became too painful for me, I told them to drop me that I am the one that carried those things. They now asked me where I kept those things; I replied that they were at my house.”
On his part, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Adam Onum said 28 petitions have been received by the panel.
He called on those with ideas on how to improve and reform the Nigerian police to submit their memoranda.
While warning that petitions from kidnappers and terrorist against the police will not be entertained, Justice Onum assured the people of the state to dispense justice to all those with legitimate claims.
