Suspension Not Enough, Arrest, Prosecute Emir Who Turbaned Bandit Leader – Ohanaeze Ndigbo

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called for immediate arrest and prosecution of the Emir of Sabon Birnin Yandoto, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Aliyu Garba Marafa, who conferred a chieftancy title to a notorious ‘repentant’ bandits’ leader, Adamu Aliero, crowning him Sarkin Fulani (leader of Fulani).

Ohanaeze argued that it was not enough to just suspend him and let him off the hook, saying that his action amounted to open endorsement of banditry.

Zamfara State Government, had Sunday, announced the suspension of the Marafa for ‘turbaning’ the bandit leader.

This is as a former General Manager of Abia Network Transport Company, Hon. Ugochukwu Uwakwe, has said that the action of the Emir was a confirmation that the much-talked about Fulanisation agenda is real and fast approaching.

The Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Alex Chiedozie who spoke exclusively with Vanguard in Umuahia, expressed furry over the action of the Emir which he described as an international embarrassment to Nigeria.

He argued that the action of the Emir was a clear indication that “he is an accomplice”.

His words:”That Emir has shown by his action that he is an accomplice. He is one of them. He should be arrested. He should be arrested without delay and treated as a bandit.

”Government should use him to locate other bandits wherever they are. “

The Ohanaeze chieftain described the development as very sad and annoying.

”What is happening in Nigeria is annoying; it’s a huge embarrassment and a puzzle to the international community.

”To turban a bandit is a grievous offense. And you have about 100 other bandits that accompanied him to the ceremony jubilating and later went scot free. Who is fooling who?

”Where are those other bandits now? Why is it that non of them has been arrested? Where are the security agencies? All the money being spent on security, how is it used?”

The Ohanaeze Spokesman restated call for the release of the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, arguing that his continued detention will not bring any solution.

He urged the Federal Government to consider political solution to the matter concerning Kanu, and IPOB, arguing that IPOB is a product of marginalisation and injustice.

”Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should be released. What we require in his matter is political solution. Detaining him will not solve anything.

”Nnamdi Kanu/ IPOB phenomenon is a product of injustice, a reaction to marginalisation and alienation.”

He observed that the careful exclusion of Ndigbo by the two major political parties in the country in their presidential tickets was part of the injustice that the IPOB is complaining against.

”Look at the trend of the 2023 election when everybody knew that it was the turn of Ndigbo/ South East to produce the next President, how the two major political parties started playing around it until they tactfully schemed South East out of it and gave their presidential tickets away from Igbo land.

”And when Nnamdi Kanu talks, somebody will say that Kanu is agitating! What do you want Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB to do?

Uwaeke told our Correspondent that Nigerians should be circumspect over the Fulanisation agenda, arguing that if an Emir can openly confer a Chieftaincy title to a self-acclaimed repentant mass murderer, one therefore can only imagine what goes on behind the scene.

He said that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is a Fulani should not be allowed to succeed the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, also a Fulani, saying it could spell doom for the country.

According to him, another Fulani succeeding Buhari will embolden Fulani bandits to take their atrocities to higher dimension.

“This is one of the reasons Atiku should not be allowed to succeed Buhari. Fulanization is real. It’s gaining grounds. Allowing another Fulani Muslim will sound a death knell to Nigeria.”