The Bauchi state peace and security committee has reacted to the insinuation that their chairman at Unguwar Hardo area of the state capital raped a 5 year old girl.
Recall that a human rights organization in the state known as Prison Inmate Development Initiative (PIDI-Nigeria) issued a press release last week alleging that the suspected rapist of the girl who is currently in police custody was a member and chairman of the committee of the area.
But the committee in a swift reaction via a press statement signed by its state Public Relations officer (PRO) Ibrahim Yila and issued to journalists on Monday denied the claim that the suspect belongs to the committee.
“Our attention has been drawn to a press release issued by PIDI-Nigeria which was widely reported by newspapers insinuating that a chairman peace and security committee in Bauchi state has raped a 5 year old girl in Unguwar Hardo area of the state capital.
“We wish to inform the general public that the accused person Saleh Hassan is not a member or even the chairman of our committee (Peace and security committee).
“We dissociate ourselves with the accused person as we do not know him. We only read it on papers and after investigation, we found out that he is not a member of the committee in the state neither is he a chairman”. He said.
Yila clarified that the committee does not have chairmen at community levels but that they only have chairmen at the state, local governments and wards levels.
He therefore described the claim by PIDI-Nigeria as false, unfounded and unfair calling on the security operatives to investigate further, prosecute the culprit if found wanting even as he urged judges handling the case to ensure that justice is done.
