From Maiharaji Altine
Heavily armed security personnel have on Friday stormed the residences of former Governor of Zamfara state, Bello Mattawalle in Gusau and Maradun towns, removed several vehicles .
An indigene of Maradun town, Mohammed Ahmed said, the security agents who were in large number consisted of police and the DSS invaded the house of the former Governor in the afternoon of today Friday where they jacked up many vehicles and took them to the police station in Maradun town.
According to Ahmed, immediately the security agents arrived Maradun town, they moved straight to former Governor’s residence and started evacuating the vehicles.
“The security agents who were mostly in police uniforms came to the former Governor’s residence in the afternoon of today and forced the gate opened”.
“They went into the house, removed several vehicles and took them to the police station here in Maradun town”.
“I counted 15 vehicles that were removed from the house and taken to the police station”.
“As I am talking to you now, the security agents who are mostly in police uniform are in the house searching for other items”.
Efforts to talk to the police public relations Officer SP Yazid Abubakar failed as he refused to pick up the phone calls after several attempts.
Recall that, Matawalle’s successor, Governor Dauda Lawal had during his inaugural speech expressed disgust that his predecessor Bello Mattawalle has carted away with many vehicles and left an empty treasury.
Meanwhile, Matawalle has been out of the state since the time he lost election.
From Maiharaji Altine
The Zamfara state chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has condemned the invasion of private residences of the immediate past Governor of the state, Bello Mohammed Matawalle by the Zamfara State Police Command and personnel of the DSS.
In a statement, the state APC Publicity secretary Yusuf Idris said the invasion was a gross violation of section 34, 35, 37, 41, 42 and 43 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Yusuf maintained that, there was no law in the country that gave the police, the DSS or any other security outfit the right to, without notice nor warrant, invade on any citizen’s property”.
He stressed that, the police and the DSS have acted wrongly and could be accused of being political in their actions.
He called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the security agents.
The statement reads in parts as follows.
The Zamfara state chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has condemned in totality the invasion and vandalization of the Gusau and Maradun private residences of the immediate past Governor of the state, Bello Mohammed Matawalle by the Zamfara State Police Command and personnel of the DSS”.
“The unlawful invasion is a gross violation of the sacred provisions of section 34, 35, 37, 41, 42 and 43 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
“What exactly might have warranted the invasion still remains a mystery to the good people of Zamfara state”.
“If the government thinks it has any case against the former Governor why not charge him to court instead of resorting to such barbaric and uncivilized means.”
“We call on the Nigerian Police Force and Department of State Service (DSS) as a matter of urgency, to take a decisive stand against this misadventure by Zamfara state Government and the perpetrators must be identified and made to face the dire consequences of their action”.
To say the least, the action which is said to have been directed by Governor of Zamfara, Dauda Lawal is archaic, barbaric, brutal, unacceptable and an illegal trespass on the former governor’s property in Gusau and his home town Maradun”.
“There is no law in the country that gave the police, the DSS or any other security outfit the right to, without notice nor warrant, invade on any citizen’s property”.
“Similarly, no governor of a state under whatever guise, reason, or purpose has the right to, without notice invade on other people’s property”.
“The police and the DSS in Zamfara acted in error and can be accused of being political in their actions, which we want an immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators”.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police to direct for an immediate investigation and prosecution of those who carried out the illegal act of breaking into the two residences of Zamfara State APC leader and former Governor Bello Matawalle”.
Currently, the Police have barricaded roads to his Gusau residence and police have been stationed in all the residences”.
“We also call on the Inspector General of Police to direct the immediate arrest of the stationed police officers and verify why they were deployed”.
“The former governor has several times said he has nothing to hide anywhere, but legal means must be deployed before carrying out any action against him or his property”.
“We urge the police and all sister security agencies and their agents to trade political grounds with caution as we cannot condone such action, especially in our dear state, which has deteriorating security challenges”.
