A citizen of Niger, who tried to change his nationality by obtaining a Cameroonian identity card, has reportedly committed suicide in a police cell in Batibo, Northwest Province.

"Alhadji" as the man was called, reportedly claimed to be an indigene of Santa Subdivision in the Northwest Province.As a strategy to pass as a Cameroonian, The Post learned, he contracted a marriage relationship with a girl from Guzang whose name was given only as Pascaline.

The police, however, discovered his true identity after investigations and handed him over to the Batibo State Counsel, Francis Achu, who detained him. Alhadji was in detention for 20 days before he allegedly took away his life. Dependable sources in Batibo alleged that the man used a twine from his jacket to hang himself in the cell, apparently because he become frustrated by the State Counsel's delay in sending the matter to court.

The State Counsel told The Post that he had signed an order that Alhadji be taken to court, but due to the strike that paralysed all activities in Batibo, he could not be arraigned.

"He was to appear in court on March 5, the same day he committed suicide," said the State Counsel.

Fon Detained

In a related story, Chief Julius Awuba, the traditional ruler of Lampo, Ambele clan in Widikum Subdivision was detained for 17 days by the Magistrate of Batibo. The Magistrate (names withheld) accused Chief Awuba of facilitating the escape of a detainee who had been in the Batibo cell for three months.

The detainee, The Post learned, was locked up for allegedly producing fake birth certificates. When he escaped, the Magistrate invited Chief Awuba and detained him.

Chief Awuba was reportedly told, while in detention, to give FCFA 100,000 before he would be released, which he did. News of the bribery act soon got to his immediate judicial boss who issued him a query.

In an apparent bid to clear himself of the bribery charge, the Magistrate allegedly asked Chief Awuba to give another FCFA 100,000, knowing that Awuba had to order somebody to bring it.

Chief Awuba reportedly instructed his wife who was in Bamenda to bring the money. The Magistrate, The Post learned, then pleaded with one of his colleagues, a younger magistrate to take the Chief's wife on her arrival to Arena Hotel and give her a drink, while waiting for him (the elderly magistrate).

The senior magistrate reportedly sent a gendarme in plainclothes to accompany them. On the magistrate's arrival, the Chief's wife removed the money from her handbag and was handing it over to the magistrate when he reportedly shouted, "Madam, do you want to bribe me? I don't receive bribes."

He then ordered the gendarme to arrest the woman. The lady spent some days in detention and was later released thanks to the intervention of an influential elite.The Northwest Court of Appeal finally released Chief Awuba on bail on March 5.