Youths Petition IG, Accuse police Of Complicity, Demand Release
Barely four months after the police abducted a church secretary, John Anjili Mbaya, on the orders of Deputy Governor of Borno State, Usman Mamman Durkwa, which nearly led to breakdown of law and order in Marama Community, a lead vocalist in the Church choir has again been abducted by the police on the same orders.
Sunday Yapadawa, who also doubles as Chairman of Marama youth Volunteer Group, popularly called civilian JTF, was ambushed and taken away by Police from the Area command in Biu, and later transferred to Maiduguri where he is being detained for yet unknown reasons.
Our correspondent reports that, Yapadawa’s abduction may not be unconnected with the clampdown on the church by the Deputy Governor, following a political clash with his thugs in Marama town, for which he described people from the area as unrepentant infidels.
In a five page petition to the Inspector general of Police, Sunday Arase, the second such petition, the Marama Youths Association demanded for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Sunday Yapadawa, and the calling of the police in Borno and the deputy governor to order.
Signed by Aaron Hamman Mbaya and David Ishaku Mshelia, Chairman and secretary of the association, the youths described the series of arrests from their area by the police on the orders of the Borno deputy governor as an affront on their religion, and a threat to the peace with which the area is known for.
According to them, with the recent arrest of church leaders, coupled with the attack on the community by the deputy Governor and his thugs, “It is very clear to us now that the target of Borno State Government is the church of God at Marama because the intention is to make us vulnerable and prone to the Boko Haram attack, while the federal Government on the other hand is making efforts to bring peace and sanity” , they stated.
While calling the attention of the inspector general of Police to the use of policemen from the Borno state Command to intimidate and arrest youths and church leaders over a political clash on the eve of the 2015 elections, the youths reminded the Federal government that the issue could get out of hand unless it is looked into.
In outlining the contributions of the detained Sunday Yapadawa to the maintenance of peace and security of their area, the youths also argued that, Marama Community remains the only town in Borno where there has never been any Boko Haram attack, as a result of the vigilance of the youth under leadership of the detainee.
It may be recalled that, the deputy Governor led a group of thugs to Marama town shouting, “Allahu Akbar, A Kashe Arna”, meaning God Is Great, Infidels must be killed, which culminated into resistance by youths from the area, who beat up the then commissioner for religious affairs, in the ensuing milieu.
Since then, the Deputy Governor has been trying to seek vendetta on the youths especially those involved in church activities, out of his hatred for Christians: a development that led to the targeted arrests of youthful Church leaders by the Police on the orders of Usman Mamman Durkwa, the Deputy Governor.
nationalTRAIL had earlier reported that tension has been building in the town following the onslaught on youth church leaders by the police, who have been making arrests without arrest warrants, rather in response to the whims and caprices of the Deputy Governor.
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