Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, on Friday, suspended the Emir of Misau, Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman and the district heads of Ciroma and Zadawa villages of Misau Local Government Area of the state over last Monday’s violent clash between Fulani farmers and herdsmen which led to the death of 10 people.
The governor revealed this while addressing journalists at the Government House in Bauchi today, adding that the d vision to suspend the traditional fathers followed petitions received by the government from the people in the area.
“Following the receipt of additional petitions that we have at our disposal, we have decided to suspend the relevant traditional rulers in the area so that they will not interfere in the work of the investigative committee.
“The traditional rulers are His Royal Highness, the Emir of Misau, the District Head of Ciroma and the Village Head of Zadawa. These traditional rulers are hereby suspended,” Governor Mohammed declared.
According to the governor, the affected traditional leaders are to remain in Misau, the headquarters of the local government, adding that they should submit themselves to the administrative committee of inquiry set up by the government to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the clash.
“They will remain in Misau; they are not allowed to go anywhere and they are to submit themselves to the administrative committee of inquiry,” the governor stated.
The suspension of the traditional rulers came on the heel of Wednesday’s sack of the caretaker chairman of Misau LGA, Mohammed Tanko Gwaram, his deputy, Baidu Kafin Sule and the secretary of the council, Usman Abdu, over the violent clash between the groups.
As part of efforts to prevent a recurrence of such violent clash in the state, the Governor Mohammed-led administration set up a 13-man investigative panel, headed by Air Vice Marshal Tijjani Gamawa (rtd), to investigate the clash.
Other members of the panel included representatives of the state Commissioner of Police, state Director, State Security Service (SSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the state Attirney-General and Commissioner of Justice, chairman, Bauchi State House of Assembly Committee on Security, chairman, House Committee on Local Government, SSA to the Governor on Security and Commissioner for Local Government.
While inaugurating the committee on Wednesday, Governor Mohammed charged members to gather important information on the causes of the clash and submit their report within three weeks.
The governor assured that anyone found to be directly or indirectly involved would be dealt with decisively.
