From Maiharaji Altine, Gusau
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state has suspended the District Head of Badarawa in Shinkafi Emirate Council for conferring a traditional title to a military officer recently arrested for selling ammunitions to bandits.
In a statement, the Director General Press Affairs, Government House Gusau Alhaji Yusuf Idris said the suspended District Head, Sarkin Kudun Badarawa, Alhaji Surajo Namakkah Ibrahim has conferred the traditional title of ‘Durumbu’ on a Military officer who was arrested for selling live ammunitions to bandits in Shinkafi local government area of the state.
The statement added that, “Governor Matawalle expressed disgust over the report that the affected military officer attached to Shinkafi local government area was arrested for selling live ammunitions to bandits operating in the area and was even bestowed with a title by the District Head”.
The Governor therefore suspended the District Head, warning that “his administration would not tolerate anything capable of destroying the hard earned peace and reputation of the state”.
Matawalle also warned that he would decisively deal with anybody found wanting in aiding and abetting banditry in the state.
Matawalle said the suspension of the District Head was indefinite because the traditional title he bestowed upon the military officer was not done based on his significant contribution to the development of the area.
He also warned that henceforth, all traditional rulers must seek for approval before conferring a traditional title on people who have contributed to the development of their respective Districts or Emirates.
Matawalle said the action became pertinent in order to avoid unnecessary embarrassment to the state government and its traditional institutions.
The military officer was recently arrested in possession of 20 rounds of 62mm of live ammunition at the point of handing over to his usual buyer, one Kabiru Bashiru of Maniya Village of Shinkafi Emirate after he had collected an advanced payment of N100,000 from the recalcitrant bandits in the area.
The Governor also commended the security agencies in the state for making another significant arrest of one Dr. Kamarawa with four full sets of military camouflage uniforms and one army identificatity card.
Kamarawa specialises in the supply of army uniforms and other medicaments to bandits when luck ran out on him on his way from Sokoto to deliver the items to his bandit customers in the state.
Governor Matawalle who was furious with the criminal said, ‘As a leader, I will not sit and fold my arms while my people are being killed with the connivance of those saddled with the responsibility of protecting them”.
He noted that the involvement of security agents in criminality through the sales of ammunitions would certainly compromise and expose the sharing of credible intelligence to the bandits.
The Shattiman Sakkwato further wondered how the nation could defeat criminalities with such bad eggs with security agents, lamenting that even his peace and dialogue initiative was marred by the actions of such uniformed men.
He assured that all those arrested in connection with banditry would face the full wrath of the law.
The Governor also appreciated the support he was getting from heads of Security agencies in the state in his fight against banditry and appealed to the people of the state to continue to cooperate with the security agents through the provision of genuine and accurate intelligence for quick action.