Zamfara: Governor Matawalle Embraces Emir Who Turbaned Terrorists’ Leader

By Gideon Njoku

Outgoing Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, on Sunday, gave a parting gift to his subjects.

In an action which took not a few people by surprise and shocked them, the Governor reinstated an Emir,HRH, Alhaji Garba Marafa, the Emir of Birnin Yandoto, who, in 2022, turbaned a confirmed leader of terrorists.

The Emir had shocked the Nation and the State when he turbaned and celebrated  Ado Aleiru, a leader of terrorists, whose group continues to wreak havoc, maiming and killing and kidnapping in the State.

Consequent upon the turbanning, attended by several terrorists, heavily armed, an embarrassed Governor Matawalle suspended the Emir in July 2022.

But on Sunday, 23rd April, 2023, the Governor reinstated the Emir.

The Monarch had earlier told a Committee set up by the State Government to investigate the circumstances under which the terrorist was turbanned that the Terrorists’ Leader was honoured because of the role he played during a peace meeting between the Emirate and the terrorists who had been terrorising Tsafe Local Government Area.

On Sunday, the Governor forgave and reinstated him, hinging his decision on the recommendations of the Committee he set up.

A statement on Sunday, signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Kabiru Balarabe Sardauna, said that  the Committee set up to investigate the turbanning  said there was no “evidence of any ill motive or collaboration between the Emir and the bandit”

Emir Marafa’s reinstatement, the statement said, is based on the recommendations of the Committee.

The statement reads:

“This is to inform the public that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, MON, (Shatiman Sokoto), has approved the reinstatement of Alh. Aliyu Garba Marafa as the Emir of Birnin Yandoto.

“His reinstatement is based on the recommendations of the Committee constituted to investigate all issues pertaining to the conferment of a traditional title to a repentant bandit, Ado Aleiru. The committee found no evidence of any ill motive or collaboration between the Emir and the bandit.

“Based on the findings of the committee, the traditional title was conferred on the repentant bandit as part of peace building efforts between the repentant bandit and banditry-affected communities in Tsafe and Gusau Local Government Areas, which include Yandoto town. The reinstatement takes immediate effect.”

Governor Matawalle of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was defeated by the Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dauda Lawal, who denied the incumbent Governor a second term in office.

Many people think that the reinstatement of Emir Marafa is a deliberate trap for the incoming Governor.