Matawalle reinstates monarch suspended for turbaning bandits’ leader

Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara State has reinstated Alh. Aliyu Garba Marafa as Emir of Birnin Yandoto.

In July last year, Matawalle suspended the emir for conferring a chieftaincy title on a banditry kingpin, Ado Aleiru.

Amid controversy generated by the conferment, the monarch had said Alieru was honoured based on the major role he played during a peace process arranged between the emirate and bandits who terrorised Tsafe Local Government Area (LGA).

In a statement on Sunday, Kabiru Balarabe Sardauna, Secretary to the State Government, announced the reinstatement of the emir.

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Sardauna said Marafa’s reinstatement was based on the recommendations of the committee constituted to investigate the issue, adding: “The committee found no evidence of any ill motive or collaboration between the Emir and the bandit.”

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.”