The Nigerian government is being sued for the extrajudicial killings of unarmed civilians after the Boko Haram sectarian clash in the northeastern states of Bauchi and Borno last August.
"They killed our innocent father on unfounded suspicion that he sponsored the sect," Alhaji Babakura Fugu, the slain man's eldest son, told IslamOnline.net in a telephone interview.
He said his father Baba Fugu, the father-in-law of Boko Haram leader Muhammed Yusuf, had earlier on told authorities of Yusuf’s misbehavior and later voluntarily reported to the police station after being accused of bankrolling the group.
"But rather than act on the information my father gave them, they ended killing him," he charged.
"They not only killed my father, they also destroyed our expansive family house, rendering our mothers homeless," he added.
"This is cruel, and we won’t let it go unchallenged. That is why we approaching the court as defender of the weak."
The plaintiffs want the court to compel the police to exhume the body of Baba Fugu Muhammed for clinical examination.
"We insist that they must exhume the remains of our father for the court to determine whether extrajudicial killings took place or not," said Babakura.
The body is believed to be among those buried in a mass grave.
Borno State High Court Number 3 has adjourned the case until March 2 for hearing.
Boko Haram, a militant group opposed to anything modeled after the West, had gone on rampage in three north-western states attacking police stations and other facilities.
A massive security operation resulted in the killing of hundreds of militants including their leader Yusuf.
Complicit
The lawsuit names key officials, including President Umaru Yar’Adua, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ogbonna Onovo and Borno Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, as accused.
The country’s former Attorney General, Michael Aondoakaa, is also on the accused list.
The plaintiffs accuse them of complicity in the extrajudicial killing of their father and destruction of their properties.
Barrister Anayo Adide, counsel to the litigant, explained that the president is sued for issuing the order that led to the alleged extrajudicial killing of people in the state, while the state government ordered the destruction of the Fugu family compound.
"The IGP is considered a major culprit for allowing police to shoot their father alongside many others in what was extrajudicial murder that is punishable under our law," he told IOL.
"The federal and state attorneys general were dragged into the suit for allowing the breach of constitutional rights of the people during the Boko Haram scuffle."
Presiding judge in the case, Justice Mohammed Mustapha, has granted the plaintiffs an ex parte motion to serve all the accused the notice of summon.
The government and the police confirmed knowledge of the case, but declined further comment.
The case came as Al-Jazeera released a video showing unarmed civilians being lined up on the ground and shot from the back by armed individuals in the presence of security forces heard talking about sharing valuables found on the dead.
It also showed Boko Haram leader Yusuf alive and well while calmly responding to the questions of his interrogators, before showing his bullet-ridden body.
Security agencies and Borno government declined comment on the video when called by IOL correspondent.
Borno Police Commissioner, Ibrahim Abdu, said the Boko Haram incident "is a national security matter" and has since been taken over by the national police command.
The Nigerian Police Public Relations Unit also declined comment.
"They killed our innocent father on unfounded suspicion that he sponsored the sect," Alhaji Babakura Fugu, the slain man's eldest son, told IslamOnline.net in a telephone interview.
He said his father Baba Fugu, the father-in-law of Boko Haram leader Muhammed Yusuf, had earlier on told authorities of Yusuf’s misbehavior and later voluntarily reported to the police station after being accused of bankrolling the group.
"But rather than act on the information my father gave them, they ended killing him," he charged.
"They not only killed my father, they also destroyed our expansive family house, rendering our mothers homeless," he added.
"This is cruel, and we won’t let it go unchallenged. That is why we approaching the court as defender of the weak."
The plaintiffs want the court to compel the police to exhume the body of Baba Fugu Muhammed for clinical examination.
"We insist that they must exhume the remains of our father for the court to determine whether extrajudicial killings took place or not," said Babakura.
The body is believed to be among those buried in a mass grave.
Borno State High Court Number 3 has adjourned the case until March 2 for hearing.
Boko Haram, a militant group opposed to anything modeled after the West, had gone on rampage in three north-western states attacking police stations and other facilities.
A massive security operation resulted in the killing of hundreds of militants including their leader Yusuf.
Complicit
The lawsuit names key officials, including President Umaru Yar’Adua, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ogbonna Onovo and Borno Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, as accused.
The country’s former Attorney General, Michael Aondoakaa, is also on the accused list.
The plaintiffs accuse them of complicity in the extrajudicial killing of their father and destruction of their properties.
Barrister Anayo Adide, counsel to the litigant, explained that the president is sued for issuing the order that led to the alleged extrajudicial killing of people in the state, while the state government ordered the destruction of the Fugu family compound.
"The IGP is considered a major culprit for allowing police to shoot their father alongside many others in what was extrajudicial murder that is punishable under our law," he told IOL.
"The federal and state attorneys general were dragged into the suit for allowing the breach of constitutional rights of the people during the Boko Haram scuffle."
Presiding judge in the case, Justice Mohammed Mustapha, has granted the plaintiffs an ex parte motion to serve all the accused the notice of summon.
The government and the police confirmed knowledge of the case, but declined further comment.
The case came as Al-Jazeera released a video showing unarmed civilians being lined up on the ground and shot from the back by armed individuals in the presence of security forces heard talking about sharing valuables found on the dead.
It also showed Boko Haram leader Yusuf alive and well while calmly responding to the questions of his interrogators, before showing his bullet-ridden body.
Security agencies and Borno government declined comment on the video when called by IOL correspondent.
Borno Police Commissioner, Ibrahim Abdu, said the Boko Haram incident "is a national security matter" and has since been taken over by the national police command.
The Nigerian Police Public Relations Unit also declined comment.
