Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the death of a 17-year-old boy in Zaria, while being interrogated by the State Vigilance Service (KadVS) over alleged theft of a cell phone.
ASP Muhammad Jalige, the Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, confirmed the incident to newsmen on Friday.
Jalige said that the Commander of KadVS at Jan Labule, Kofar Doka Unit in Zaria, Alhaji Abubakar and six others had been detained at the Police Divisional Headquarters in the town.
The PPRO added that they would be transferred to the Police Command in Kaduna for further investigation.
The father of the boy, Malam Aliyu Dauda of Filin Mallawa, Zaria told newsmen on Friday that his son, Muhammad-Sani Aliyu, died while being interrogated by KadVS over alleged phone theft.
Dauda said that the incident occurred on Wednesday about 2 p.m. at Jan Labule, Kofar Doka unit of the service.
He said one Auwalu, a butcher, alleged that his late son stole his phone.
“As a father, I questioned him over the issue but he insisted that he knew nothing about the phone.
“I later requested my friend Abubakar Dan-Bakano, to question him about the phone. He (late son) maintained his earlier stand that he did not steal any phone.
“While Abubakar Dan-Bakano was questioning my late son, the complainant Auwalu, arrived with personnel of vigilance service, who took him to their office at Jan Labule, Kofar Doka, Zaria, where he lost his life during interrogation,’’ he alleged.
Dauda said that the remains of the deceased son were laid on the ground at the KadVS’s office until police arrived the scene.
According to him, the police took the son to the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, where he was certified dead.
Malama Hannatu Muhammad, the mother of late Muhammad-Sani Aliyu, said that those responsible for the death of her son should be fished out and brought to justice.
