Kaduna — The Northern Nigerian Human Rights Coalition, under the leadership of foremost human rights activist, Comrade Shehu Sani, has described the ongoing trial and detention of Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan,a Second Republic minister of Mines, Power and Steel as politically motivated , and vowed to employ the services of lawyers to defend him as the hearing continues at the Gombe Magistrate's Court.

Addressing newsmen in Kaduna yesterday, Malam Suleiman Ahmed, secretary of the coalition, argued that the detention had political undertone and that the coalition would provide lawyers for the former minister so as to secure his release.Continuing, Ahmed said, "As a citizen and indigene of Gombe State, he has the fundamental right to air his views on the leadership of the state and that of the country. On July 28, 2009, he wrote a petition to the then inspector-general of Police, Mike Okiro, accusing the Gombe State governor, Danjuma Goje and the state commissioner of Police, Joseph Ahmed Ibi of killing about 60 innocent citizens of the state through thugs locally known as Yan Kalare.

However, looking at his agitation, people were killed through political thugs which cannot be hidden. "In line with our moral and sacred obligation to continually be at the forefront in the protection, promotion and sustenance of human rights and dignity, and in the enforcement of justice, fairness and equity, we are compelled to call for the freedom of Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan from illegal detention by the governor."The sad scenario behind his unjust detention unfolds the level of human rights violation in the state. This scenario has the implication of not only undermining our democracy but dampening our collective spirit of human rights protection, patriotism and commitment to the Nigerian development. Equally, it can undermine the spirit and essence of service which gives way to the negative global perception and positive rating of Nigeria."

It would be recalled that Alhaji Mohamed Ibrahim Hassan (Baraden Gombe) was remanded in prison custody by the Chief Magistrate's Court 1 in Gombe on Tuesday following charges against him of giving false information with the intent to mislead the public. The Police, according to its First Information Report (FIR) which was read in court,had stated that on July 29, 2009, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan wrote a petition to the then inspector-general of Police, Mike Okiro, where he accused the Gombe State governor, Muhammadu Danjuma Goje and the state Police commissioner, Mr. Joseph Ahmed Ibi of killing 60 innocent citizens of the state through the activities of political thugs locally known as Yan kalare. The FIR said the former minster knew, or had reason to believe that the information in his petition was false and capable of misleading members of the public. The offence for which he is accused of committing is punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code.