Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Umar Sanda, yesterday, said an ex-commissioner in the state, Mohammed Damina (Galadima Dass), arrested for the death of one Adamu Babanta, was a case of manslaughter and not murder as widely speculated. The Guardian had reported that the ex-commissioner, who was said to be in love with Babanta’s 18-year-old Khadija Babanta was caught at a hookup spot while he was trailed by Babanta. At the spot, there was a heated argument between him and his friend Babanta ,who was shocked that his friend could be going out with his daughter. Dass was zooming off, while Babanta clung to the car to prevent him from escaping. He died at the spot when he fell from the car. After investigation, the CP said: “Our findings also established that the accused (Mohammed Damina) is a neighbour to the deceased (Adamu Babanta), who called the daughter on phone and arranged to meet her at a junction near Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) gate Yelwan Tudu market Bauchi.

“ Khadija’s father, who is now deceased, met them at that point, though not together inside the suspect’s vehicle or in any sort of compromised position, rather she was standing with the motorcycle rider that brought her to the location. “Then Babanta, now deceased went straight to the occupant of the vehicle (Mohammed Damina) and both of them started exchanging heated words to a point where the father, now deceased, started shouting “barawo-barawo,” he said. The CP further said in the process, the accused attempted to start his vehicle with the intention of zooming off and evading a possible mob action, but the deceased suddenly opened the vehicle’s door from the driver’s side. “Notwithstanding, the accused engaged his vehicle and accelerated while the father of Khadija, now deceased, clung to the car door, as a result, he was dragged to a certain distance, where he fell off, thereby hitting his head on the pavement of the road with impact.”

“The victim was rushed to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi for treatment, and was confirmed dead by a medical doctor. “The accused (Mohammed Damina) was therefore arrested and detained for investigation. I immediately ordered an autopsy on the corpse to ascertain the cause of his death. The result was received on November 8, 2022 from ATBU Teaching Hospital Bauchi, which showed that the victim died of traumatic spinal cord injury and multiple skeletal/soft tissue Trauma,” the CP said.

MEANWHILE, the court has remanded the accused to the Correctional facility, while the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) was ordered to carry out discreet investigation into the matter to unravel the circumstances that led to the incident.