An Abuja-based civil rights group, Initiative Against Human Rights Abuse and Torture (INAHURAT) has asked President Bola Tinubu to order a full scale probe into the circumstances that led to the arrest and detention of a Rwandan businessman, Benjamin Hassan Rulisa, for over six months without trial.
The group also called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to immediately identify, investigate and discipline all officers involved in the alleged illegal arrest, detention and attempted extortion.
The businessman was said to have been clamped into the underground cell for more than six months by officers of the Nigerian Police Monitoring Unit and Intelligence Response Team (IRT) without the knowledge or order of the IGP, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on the ordeal of the businessman, Director of the civil rights group, Chief Maxwell Chibuike Opara narrated how the victim of the unlawful detention met a Nigerian, Muhammad Abba in March 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya and that following a business acquaintance, he was invited to Nigeria.
Opara, a human rights lawyer, claimed that upon his arrival in Nigeria, Muhammad Abba took the businessman to a hotel in Maitama, Abuja, where he was lodged.
The lawyer said that while the businessman was relaxing in his hotel room on the day, officers from the police Monitoring Unit stormed the hotel premises, arrested and took him away without explanation.
According to the group, the victim was immediately detained at the IRT underground cell and subjected to inhumane treatment, including six months of severe torture.
Opara alleged that the legs of the businessman were hung upside down and was denied access to his family or legal representation.
Upon repeatedly asking for his offence, the civil group claimed the detainee was merely told that he “duped someone” adding that uptil now, no formal complaint, evidence, or proof was ever presented against the victim.
He claimed that nstead of investigating any alleged wrongdoing, the officers in charge allegedly demanded money from Rulisa’s relatives and threatened that he would die in custody if they failed to comply.
The laws asserted that when it became clear that the detainee or his family would not pay, he was completely abandoned in detention, with no access to due process as contemplated in the constitution.
“For over six months, he was detained without trial, without the knowledge or authorization of the IGP.
The lawyer explained that luck however came the way of the detainee when a detained Nigerian after hearing Rulisa’s ordeal, took it upon himself to inform police authorities.
“Upon the release of the Nigerian detainee, he wrote a petition to the IGP, exposing the illegal activities of the officers. The IGP, upon being notified, ordered the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) to retrieve the case file and commence an independent investigation.
“The SIU’s findings confirmed that Rulisa had been subjected to unlawful detention, gross human rights violations, and an attempted extortion scheme orchestrated by the officers of IGP Monitoring Unit.
“Realizing that their misconduct had been uncovered, the said officers of police Monitoring Unit hastily filed baseless criminal charges against Rulisa, containing no proof of evidence except statements from the same officers who tortured him.
“This last-minute attempt to legitimize their abuse of power was simply a move to distract from their illegal activities and avoid consequences.
“In light of the undeniable facts, the illegal actions of the officers and the blatant disregard for human rights, we are calling on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu to order a comprehensive and independent investigation into this case and ensuring that justice is served.
“We are also calling on the Inspector General of Police to immediately identify, investigate, and discipline all officers involved in this illegal arrest, detention and attempted extortion.
“Similarly, the Nigerian judiciary should ensure a fair and just trial, free from manipulation by the corrupt officers responsible for this violation.
“The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and international human rights bodies should take appropriate action to hold the perpetrators accountable and prevent future occurrences.
“This case is a serious stain on Nigeria’s image and its commitment to justice, fairness, and the rule of law. It is even more concerning that a foreigner conducting legitimate business in Nigeria could be subjected to such treatment.
“If this can happen to a foreign investor, it raises serious concerns for the safety and security of other foreigners in Nigeria.
“We demand justice for Mr. Rulisa and the prosecution of all officers involved in this human rights abuse”, the group said.
