Exclusive: Mahdi’s Incarceration: IGP’s Interest Clearly Defined

 ….The Dahiru Mangal Connection

By DESERT HERALD

Today, Thursday December 3 is exactly 10 days since the owner of Dialogue Group of Companies, Mahdi Shehu was arrested and denied bail by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu reportedly on the orders of Governor Aminu Bello Masari and other notable gladiators like Alhaji Dahiru Mangal.

Mahdi has also confirmed the initial report of a snake bite in a message to his family and said since he was attacked by the mysterious snake at the Force Headquarters and even after taking him to the hospital he was unable to work and had being on the wheelchair since then. He also had problems with his sight since then.

Attempts by Mahdi to get his personal physician attend to his deteriorating health or for him to sponsor himself to a private hospital of his choice in Abuja was outrightly denied while his health condition remained fragile.

DESERT HERALD can confirm that on the orders of IGP Adamu, the embattled Mahdi was moved from his cell at Force CID in Garki to the office of the IGP twice this week (yesterday Wednesday and today Thursday). He had to be moved on wheelchair as he cannot work while he also had severe back ache.

For two days running, Wednesday and Thursday, on the invitation of IGP Adamu, Mahdi was taken to the IGP’s office from his cell only for him to be abandoned deliberately for hours without seeing the IGP.

This has clearly vindicated DESERT HERALD’S position in this case of gross injustice and wanton violation of the law. This paper had earlier reported that Mahdi’s detention is not only illegal but to use the police institution to intimidate him into submission. Campaign for Democracy, CD, Chairman, Abdul Bako in an interview with this paper insisted that “these we are sure is one of the most wicked process adopted by a sitting government in Katsina to fight free speech.

The IGP has been compromised in this case. You don’t need to tell anybody that for the police to flagrantly abuse the law the manner they are doing they must have collected heavy gratification. With the current development, we have every reason to believe the claims of Mr. Mahdi that the IGP and his men were given as much as two hundred million naira through the Assistant Commissioner of Police In-Charge of IGP Monitiring Unit, ACP Yan Leman to do the dirty and shameful job they are doing today. We will approach the court on his behalf”.

They accused the IGP of clearly taking sides and they said they are now convinced that Mahdi will never get justice as long as the Police under IGP Adamu will be the one to prosecute the case.

“For how long IGP Adamu will be keeping Mahdi?

The world is watching. Nigerians are watching. Civil society organisations are watching, the larger society too are watching. We know that the President has time without number assured the nation that his government will respect the rule of law but the conduct of his Chief Law Enforcement Officer, is to say the least unfortunate, contradictory and has indicted the position of the government.

IGP Adamu must not be allowed to further destroy President Buhari. We are very sure the President did not know what is going on or is being misinformed about the intrigues, the injustice and violations of law in Mahdi’s case. This is a clear case of man’s inhumanity to man”, the group lamented.

So far, there is no constitutional provision that justifies the action of IGP Adamu to detain Mahdi without taking him to court for almost two weeks now.

DESERT HERALD authoritatively gathered that on Wednesday, December 2, a team of four Police detectives arrived the Garki detention centre on the orders of the IGP to bring Mahdi to his office.

He was taking on wheelchair because of his condition. On arrival at Luis Edit House, Mahdi reportedly met an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Yan Leman. ACP Leman this paper gathered is the one that was assigned to investigate and prosecute Mahdi.

Mahdi had accused ACP Leman of collecting money from Dahiru Mangal to humiliate and poison him. On seeing Mahdi at the first floor, ACP Leman appeared angry, hostile, abusive and behaves in the most unprofessional manner.

He abused, threatened to kill Mahdi in the presence of many people at the reception and ordered him to get out from the wheelchair and told him to his face that he is only pretending, that he is not sick. Mahdi reportedly remained calm and on the wheelchair chair.

ACP Leman then used the other lifter and rushed to the IGP’s office ostensibly to see the IGP first before Mahdi’s arrival. When they brought Mahdi to the IG’s Conference Room, IGP Adamu stood and proceeded to the Paint House at the last floor. ACP Leman then followed him leaving Mahdi with the police officers that brought him at the Conference Room.

After some minutes, ACP Leman came back and told Mahdi that the IG said he must get out from the wheelchair and come on his feet if he wants the IG to see him. Mahdi repeated that he cannot work, that he is not pretending and told the ACP to take him back to the cell if he wants. ACP Leman then ordered the Police officers to take him back to his cell at Garki. Almost similar episode happens on Thursday.

While at the Force Headquarters, ACP Leman had tried to give Mahdi another court processes through a court bailiff to sign but Mahdi refused and insisted that since the snake bite he is not even seeing well and that he has been having eyes problem. He said he cannot collect a court process that he cannot even read.

DESERT HERALD understands that one ASP Masari a cousin to Governor Masari is working directly under ACP Leman and has been the arrowhead behind Mahdi’s travails and how he was reportedly manhandled in the hands of the police in Abuja.

Meanwhile, Nigerians have continued to condemn the continued detention of Mahdi Shehu without trial. In a comment mostly on Twitter, they advised IGP Adamu to keep up from political matters otherwise it will dent his record for life. The IG was also advised to keep up from Katsina matters because it is purely political.

DESERT HERALD has exclusively gathered that pressure groups have petitioned AGF Abubakar Malami on the matter and have demanded for immediate intervention to check the excesses and abuse of office of the Police IGP.