Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bauchi State branch, Mr. Mahmud Mohammed Maidoki, has urged the Nigeria police to tackle the militiamen known as ‘Yan Ba beli ‘ who extrajudicially executes supposed criminals in parts of the state.
Speaking Thursday during the inauguration of the newly elected officials of Young Lawyers Forum, an affiliate body of NBA, Maidoki lamented that the activities of ‘Yan ba beli’ group in some communities were not only illegal but worrisome, alleging that they kill innocent people devoid of the notion of fair hearing.
While charging security operatives to intensify efforts in fighting crimes in the state with a view to protecting the citizens, the NBA chairman decried that the militiamen have now illegally accorded to themselves the power of adjudicating and executing suspected criminals without authorization.
“My lords, I want to register our utmost dismay on the attitude of the Nigeria Police in handling the emerging militia most particularly called ‘Yan Ba Beli ‘ meaning literally a group of illegal frontiers instant adjudication of supposed crimes which usually execute innocent people devoid of the notion of fair hearing,” he said.
Earlier, the outgoing chairman of the young lawyers forum, Mr Idris Safiyanu Gambo, explained that the forum was established in 2016, adding that it is meant to groom new comers into the profession comprising of lawyers aged between one and seven years post call.
Details later…
