The House of Representatives on Thursday urged the Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command to call his men to order and allow people go about their legitimate businesses without being harassed and intimidated.

Rep. Gabriel Onyenwife, the Chairman ad hoc Committee investigating the alleged breach of constitutional rights of indigenes and residents by men of the command made the call in Abuja on Tuesday.

Assembly Mace

It was reported that the command was accused of placing Malam Isa Yuguda, a former governor of Bauchi under house imprisonment by sealing all entry points and exits leading to his house on Nov. 24, 2016. Yuguda, had in a memoranda submitted to the committee on Jan. 24, urged the ad hoc committee to probe the rationale behind the sealing of his residence by the police command.

The former governor also urged the committee to investigate why the Bauchi Command deprived him and his supporters the freedom of movement. According to him, the police has infringed on his fundamental right to movement. He added that the police were harassing innocent citizens of Bauchi who felt it was incumbent upon them to welcome one of their own.

“The commissioner of police deployed three pick up vans to block the street in front of my compound and one at the rare. “The police refused me exit and said they were under orders not to allow me move out of my house and were further directed not to allow any person entry or exit to or from the house,’’ Yuguda said.

In his submission, however, the Police Commissioner in the state Zaki Ahmed said that the action was part of the security measures taken in order to safeguard the former governor. Ahmed also said that there was the need to forestall any breach of law and order in the state.

According to him, the command immediately fortified all the entry points and exits leading to his house in view of the prevailing security challenges in the state. “On Nov. 24, 2016, at about 20:15 hours intelligence report at our disposal revealed plans by some hoodlums to attack and vandalise residence of the former governor along Sir Kashim Ibrahim way, Bauchi,’’ Ahmed said.

He said that in spite of deploying 454 personnel to ensure peace and order, 30 hoodlums stormed the area smashing vehicle windscreen in their bid to gain entrance and attack Yuguda. “Four suspects were arrested by the police patrol team stationed in the area and the suspects were charged to court,’’ Ahmed added.

The committee had resolved to invite some key officials of the state government in the next meeting scheduled for Thursday Feb. 16. Those expected to appear before members of the ad hoc Committee are the Chief of Staff, Bauchi State Government, Secretary to the Government of Bauchi state and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political matters. The Committee also gave one week period for those who have further documents to substantiate or counter the response of the Commissioner of Police