Zamfara – The Zamfara State government on Wednesday deposed two emirs and a district head for aiding and abetting banditry in communities across the state.
They are the Emir of Zurmi, Abubakar Atiku and the Emir of Dansadau, Hussaini Umar, and Sulaiman Ibrahim, the District Head of Birnin Tsaba.
The state Commissioner for information, Mr Ibrahim Dosara, announced the deposition of the traditional rulers in Gusau shortly after the weekly State Executive Council meeting.
“The council has approved the deposition of Emir of Zurmi, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and that of Dansadau, Alhaji Hussaini Umar.
“The council also approved the immediate removal of the District Head of Birnin-Tsaba, Alhaji Sulaiman Ibrahim,” he said.
According to the commissioner, the government has also ordered that all land titles issued by the affected traditional leaders be revoked immediately.
“The State Executive Council has also directed the state Ministry of Justice to issue an executive order to back up the council resolution,” he added.
The deposition of the traditional leaders comes 10 months after they were suspended by the state government.
It also comes days after the submission of the reports of the committees set up by the state government to investigate the allegations against them.
“The council upheld the recommendation of a six-man white paper committee set up by the government to review the report of two separate committees earlier set up to investigate the involvement of the three traditional rulers in the activities of banditry in the state,” said a statement by Governor Bello Matawalle’s media aide, Zailani Bappa.
“The three impeached royal fathers were earlier suspended by the state government following wide allegations of serious involvement in the act of banditry in the state.
“The findings of the committees also revealed abuse of the Land Act in their domain and the government ordered the reversal to status quo involving the lands illegally allocated,” he said.
