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How DSS detained, tortured me for over 60 days — #EndBadGovernance Protester
Aminu was picked up alongside other young protesters in Kano on August 3, while demonstrating against hunger and bad governance.
Khalid Aminu, an engineer and one of the 39 suspects arrested during the #EndBadGovernance protests in August, has shared a heart-wrenching account of his 60-day ordeal in the hands of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Aminu was picked up alongside other young protesters in Kano on August 3, while demonstrating against hunger and bad governance.
He recounted how DSS operatives blocked them at the NEPA Roundabout, took 11 of them into custody, and subjected him to inhumane torture.
During his detention, Aminu had no contact with his family, and the experience has left him visibly traumatized. He shared his story on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme on Channels Television.
Aminu’s account highlights the disturbing treatment of protesters by security forces.
“They (DSS operatives) blocked all of us at the NEPA Roundabout and packed about 11 of us on the day three of the protests (August 3) and took us to their command,” he recalled slowly with a weak voice, his face still plastered with after-trauma of the episode, signs that he is still recovering from the “terrible” ordeal in the hands of the secret police.
“They kept me in detention from August 3 to October 17. For the 68 days, I was in the custody of the DSS minus one week when we were taken to the correctional centre after we were taken to court in Kaduna.
“When we were in detention, they kept bringing in more and more people and the number accumulated to about 39 of us.”
Describing as terrible the experience he went through at the hands of the DSS, the protester said, “What I went through, what we went through was inhuman, I can’t even begin to tell you everything.
“On the 3rd (of August), they arrested us at NEPA Roundabout. There and then they started beating us. Boots, kicks, and all that. Then they pushed all of us into their Hilux, some into their SUVs, and then we went down to the Command.
“When we got there, the first thing I received was a strong cane, like an armoured cable that they used. If I pull up my chest, you will see. They started beating me, I was flat down and they were blasting me with all forms of sticks, armoured cables, everything you can think of.
“Then they took me to a garden with a sharp grass carpet. They asked us to pull our shirts and asked us to lie down. They poured water on me while I lay on this sharp grass. They were beating me and told me to roll from one side to another. I rolled from one end to another with water on my body. All sorts of insects were on this grass. So, it was double penetration. It was terrible. That continued for about an hour.
“Then they asked us to crawl in a gutter and we came out and they asked us to be looking into the sun. we were there for another hour. It became different type of torture after that day. From what you eat, psychologically, you cannot be stable.”
Aminu and his colleagues were accused of unlawful assembly and for flying Russian flags but the #EndBadGovernance campaigner denied the allegation.
“There was nothing like the Russian flag in the first five days of the protests when we were arrested,” he said.
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Police burst organ harvesting gang in Ebonyi
The Police in Ebonyi have busted an organ harvesting ring responsible for the death of at least three persons in the state.
Spokesperson of the Police, Joshua Ukandu, stated this in Abakaliki yesterday.
He noted that four suspected members of the organ harvesting ring were arrested following a painstaking investigation and credible intelligence into the matter.
The spokesperson said the suspects confessed to being responsible for the murder of Chikezie Idenyi, a Dubai based businessman.
According to him: “One Mrs. Blessing Chikezie Onyekachi had reported to the command of her missing husband, Mr. Chikezie Idenyi, who left home on 14th September, 2024 on a supposed business trip to Lagos but was not heard from again.
“Police investigation led to the arrest of one Innocent Elebe and Eze Elechi who made useful statements that led the police to arrest Obinna Nwanguru and Oda Peter.
“They confessed to killing Chikezie Idenyi, Chibu Odii and Eze Fabian on different dates while trying to extract their blood/organs to use it to cure a cognitively impaired person (Down syndrome).”
He noted that the corpses of Chikezie Idenyi and Chibu Odii were subsequently recovered while efforts were ongoing to recover the remains of the third victim.
Ụkandu stated this while giving update on Police crime fighting activities in October, 2024
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INEC accredits over 700 journalists for Ondo gov election
The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced accrediting 112 media organisations ahead of Ondo State governorship election scheduled to hold November 16.
Yakubu Mahmood, the INEC chairman, disclosed this Abuja, on Friday, adding that the accreditation of the media organisations include over 700 journalists, technicians, and support personnel to facilitate the poll.
He said, “The Commission is glad to announce the accreditation of 112 national and international media organisations (newspaper, radio, television and online) deploying over 700 journalists, technicians and other personnel to facilitate their coverage of the election.
“The detailed breakdown of the media organisations and the number of personnel to be deployed will be uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information,”
He, however, called on the professionals to be factual in their reports as part of ensuring peaceful poll.
The INEC Chairman stated, “I appeal to the media to intensify your accurate reportage that will ensure peaceful elections, especially now that campaign by political parties and candidates is in full swing in the State.
“I also appeal to you to continue to serve as a counterforce against fake news, misinformation and disinformation.”
The commissioned disclosed earlier that 72 per cent of registered voters had collected their Permanent Voter Cards.
Yakubu revealed that by November 6, a mock accreditation exercise in selected polling units for to test result uploads on its result viewing portal would held.
He further noted that it would partner with security agencies to avoid any disruption of the poll.
He stated, “However, we are aware of flashpoints in some local government areas to which we have already drawn the attention of the security agencies.”
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