There have been palpable fears throughout the Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Thursday as youths of the Gatawa group protested over the ugly killing of their conventional ruler, Isa Muhammad Bawa, by suspected bandits.
The district head was reportedly killed, on Wednesday, earlier than the ransom might attain the bandits.
The lawmaker representing Sabon Birni North LG within the state House of Assembly, Aminu Boza, confirmed the information of his dying to our correspondent on Wednesday night.
He stated the workforce dispatched to ship the ransom of N60 million and 5 bikes demanded by the bandits was informed he was lifeless upon arrival.
“Yes, I can affirm to you that he’s lifeless; they’ve killed him.
“Even those who went there to deliver the ransom couldn’t meet him alive; they only came back with his son, who was abducted together with him and we are on our way to the hospital now for treatment.”
Meanwhile, shortly after a funeral prayer was held in his honour in Gatawa city on Thursday, some youths inside the group instantly launched into protest, singing anti-government songs.
They alleged that the state authorities didn’t do sufficient to make sure the monarch returned to his household safely.
They additionally level fingers at some political leaders, particularly these from the native authorities, alleging that they purposely allowed the district head to endure by the hands of the abductors earlier than he was killed.
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Meanwhile, when contacted in regards to the protests, the spokesman of the Nigerian Force, Sokoto State command, ASP Ahmed Rufai, stated the command is on high of the scenario.
He stated, “We have ready forward for this, because it was revealed by means of intelligence. Since morning, when the funeral prayer was about to be performed. The command dispatched a tactical workforce from about three to 4 native governments near Sabon Birni to hitch the workforce within the native authorities.
“We are already taking control of the protests to ensure they don’t lead to a crisis.”
Recalled that the district head had, in a video launched just a few days earlier than he was pronounced lifeless on Wednesday evening, appealed to the state authorities, pals, and well-wishers to save lots of him from being killed.
“In a 59-second video launched by bandits and obtained by our correspondent, the 74-year-old monarch was interesting for his launch from the palms of his abductors.
He stated, “I wish to name on my folks, my lovers, my pals and my chief to know that it has come to an finish at the moment, Wednesday.
“So in the event that they wish to assist me, they need to achieve this. I swear to Allah, these folks too are bored with us, they’ve finished all they might, however the authorities didn’t assist us.
“I’ve been interesting to the federal government to assist me however they didn’t, and I’m their employee, Over the years, I’ve been working for the state authorities
“I am 74 years old today, and I have been working for the government for about 45 years now and it’s all about traditional institutions.”
Efforts to talk with the lawmaker representing the native authorities within the state home of meeting, Aminu Boza, weren’t profitable as his quantity was not reachable on the time of submitting this report.