Safwan Iliasu was a 22 years old cousin of mine. I was named after his father. In 2014, he was arrested on the charges of criminal offense. And when my family enquired about his bail, the police said they were determined to keep him in custody until they finished investigations.

All the plugs were pulled. His step-dad was an influential man in the accademia, as were many relatives of his. But to no avail.

He spent 7 days in Rijiyar Zaki police station after which he was transferred to Bompai. They kept him there while bail attempts were being made.

Days later, the police disclosed that Safwan had died after lamenting on the pain he had been feeling in his stomach. But when his corpse was enquired, the police said they won't give. After all, “A CORPSE OF A CRIMINAL IS A GOVERNMENT PROPERTY”, said by the police.

It was doubtless, Safwan had been inhumanely tortured during the process of his interrogation. And due from the conservative nature of my family, not once did we declare his innocence, neither did we accept his guilt. We wanted the court to prove the truth.

Unfortunately he was killed. His corpse denied, after further enquiries declared buried. All before his innocence or guilt was proved.

And the matter ended there.

The closest to him intended to file a case against tye police but the guardians hindered even the exercise of the thought. They left the judgement to God.

But there's something more. Declaring Safwan a criminal even before any trial had shaken so much of his guardians.

They feared it might be true and that will bring an unbearable ruin to the name.

And right there is the northern problem we are trying to enlighten the world about.

People would rather left things to God than pursue justice.

And even where that's limited, the regard for reputation, the fear in ruining the family name, etc, are often allowed to consume any other feelings that would rattle the pursuit of justice.

Even as we speak, Safwan's mother, my auntie, doesn't believe he's dead.

Because she doesn't see his corpse. She doesn't even want the mention of his death. And she's serious about it.

Everything get wrapped. Safwan arrested, died in custody with an unproven crime to his name, his corpse irrecoverable, pain to his relatives lasting forever.

And that's why whenever someone says police brutality is a regional problem, I can't help but wipe my eyes to see clearly an irredeemable, irreconcilable, ignorant idiot that's not worthy of my word.

#EndSARS
#EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeria
#SarsMustGoNow