Local Katsina news, Nigeria

Emir of Katsina Illegally Marries Off Christian Teenager To Her Abductor

The Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir, has illegally married off Aisha Mani, a Christian teenager, to her abductor, Mohammed Samaila, without her family's consent, Hausa Christian Foundation (HACFO) has alleged.

In a Facebook post, the foundation narrated how the Emir, in cahoots with the District Head of Kafur Local Government Area (LGA), Abdulrahman Rabe, conspired to perpetrate the unlawful act.

The report said Aisha Mani was married off to her abductor Mohammed Samaila by the monarch despite police efforts and a petition by a law firm.

Aisha's family was said to have relocated her from Gidan Dandada, Rafin Iyaka, to another relative in Funtua after they suspected romantic advances from Samaila.

However, the teenage girl was said to have gone missing from Funtua and after long hours of searching, the case was reported to the police.

"Two days later, on February 12, 2021, Aisha's parents received a call from the District Head of Kafur telling them to stop searching for Aisha because she is safe with him in his house. He claimed that one Idris Shehu brought her to his house," HACFO said.

Rabe was said to have disregarded her family's plea that she be returned and refused them access to see Aisha "on the ground that she wanted to convert to Islam."

The traditional ruler reportedly called Aisha's parents after ten days, stating that her abductor wanted to marry Aisha, but they refused, insisting that due process must be followed.

Subsequently, Rabe "went ahead to arrange a marriage between Aisha and Mohammed Samaila without the consent and approval of Aisha's Family."

"The Area Commander told the District Head not to go ahead with their marriage plans between Aisha and Mohammed Samaila, but the district head ignored it," the NGO said in its report, adding that the agreement was that Aisha be brought to the police station, one which the District Head ignored.

HACFO said the girl was instead taken to the Emir of Katsina the same day the district head was supposed to take her to the police station, adding that "on reaching there, the Emir of Katsina joined Aisha and Mohammed in marriage without the consent of her parents."

The group highlights that the incident was not the first time the predominantly Muslim community would be oppressing native Christian Hausas, forcefully abducting their daughters for marriage without parental or family consent.

According to the NGO, a total of nine girls have been abducted and forced into marriage. One of such ladies was said to have been returned after she ran mad, another returned dead, while another was returned to her parents with pregnancy.

Names of other abductees, according to the NGO, are Jamima Solomon, Christiana Mamman, Deborah Habila, Phoebe Dankano, Rifkatu Markus, Saratu Isah (Returned her when she went mad after two years), Dije Yakubu Nalami (Abducted as a married woman, and returned when she died), Rebeccah Ado (Returned Pregnant) and Aisha Mani (Currently in captivity).

The foundation alleged that crimes against Christians "are always swept under the carpet" in Rafin Iyaka Sabuwar Kasa, Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina.

It noted that despite a petition filed by lawyers to Aisha's parents to the police through the Malumfashi Area Command, demanding the arrest, investigation and prosecution of Rabe and Samaila, the police had done nothing to secure the release of Aisha.

HACFO claimed that Kabir and Rabe, on several occasions, abuse human rights and "do everything possible to stop the constitutionally recognised law enforcement agencies like the police from rightly carrying out their statutory duties."

The NGO claimed that Mr Rabe had been involved in supporting similar acts right from the time of his father, who died years ago and "is also backed by the Emir of Katsina."

When contacted on the telephone by Peoples Gazette, the state's police spokesperson, Gambo Isa, claimed he was not aware of the incident.

"I'm not aware of the matter; I don't know because it was reported by an NGO if it is something reported by a tabloid…, but I cannot confirm the NGO's report," Mr Isa said.

Efforts to reach the HACFO proved abortive.

Ibrahim Bindawa, the spokesman to the Emir of Katsina, promised to get back to The Gazette when reached for comments on the matter Saturday morning.

"I am reciting the holy Quran, please. I will get back to you in the next one hour," he said.

Bindawa did not revert as promised, hours later.

Governor Masari: Politicians causing insecurity over 2023

Governor Bello Masari of Katsina State has said the insecurity that has afflicted the state in recent years is sponsored by politicians, who are bent on reaping dubious political gains or use it as leverage ahead of the 2023 elections.

According to Governor Masari, the unnamed politicians want to dent the image of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state and the country and portray them as being passive in the face of ravaging insecurity.

Beside saying insecurity in the Katsina is political, Masari also attributed the spate of killings in the state to reprisal attacks by bandits against the cold-blooded murder of their suspected relatives or collaborators by groups that had been outlawed by the state government.

He said activities of the groups, including the well-known Yan’sankee teams, were counter-productive, as they would travel to distant villages and communities to kill one or two suspects, but the irate bandits would strike back later, killing innocent persons in their numbers in the affected villages.

Amid these claims over the killings are the conclusions of many Katsina residents that the bandits had never hidden their desperation to forcefully evict various rural communities in the state.

A university lecturer in Katsina told newsmen: “Nigerians need to know the exact motive of the bandits, so that these killings and insecurity should not continue to linger in the state and the North-West in particular.”

The don, who spoke in confidence, said: “Fleeing residents of several villages have claimed again and again that the bandits that are killing their men and youths often warned that the people of the areas should vacate the land or they would know no peace.”

This is coming as the Emir of Katsina, Alhajii Abdulmumin Kabir Usman, had repeatedly appealed, almost in tears, to the government to act decisively to stop the killings and destruction of his people’s means of livelihood.

Despite government and security agencies’ assurances that there was no cause for alarm, the internally-displaced persons, IDPs, camps in Faskari and Dandume Local Government areas had thousands of IDPs under their roofs until some weeks ago, when their figures fell considerably.

Other IDPs camps in Batsari, Jibia and Kankara had also seen women and children in their numbers streaming in from different local communities for succour.

Just last Saturday, no fewer than 40 innocent children, officers and men of the military were slain.

Some 11 children in Yammama Village, Malumfashi Local Government Area of the state, were fiddling with what they thought to be toys, when the grenades they found in a farm from which they were cutting grasses to feed domestic animals exploded in their faces.

Six of them, including five from the same parents, died on the spot about 11.30am. The others, who escaped untimely death on the fateful day, were rushed to the hospital in critical conditions for treatment.

It was, in fact, a double tragedy in Katsina that day as no fewer than 16 of the Nigerian soldiers and officers lost their lives in Jibia axis of the state.

Later in the night, it was gathered that the troops were advancing on foot in Shimfida Village of Jibia Local Government Area when they were ambushed by dare-devil gunmen at about 6.13pm.

The cause of the tragedy, which also left about 28 other soldiers wounded, was traced to the bandits’ camp on a hilltop in the area.

However, there were conflicting reports about the casualties on the Jibia incident.

The Defence Headquarters said the troops of Operation Sahel Sanity killed over 17 of the gunmen, but suffered the casualty of an officer and two soldiers, with four others being wounded in the action, contrary to reports.

DHQ: Troops kill six bandits, foil attempt to rustle livestock in Katsina, Zamfara

The Defence Headquarters says troops of Exercise Sahel Sanity have killed six bandits and foiled their attempts to rustle livestock in Katsina and Zamfara States between July 13 and July 14.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, John Enenche, in a statement on Wednesday, said the feat was achieved on July 14 following receipt of credible intelligence.

Enenche, an army major-general, said the troops, backed by helicopter gunships of the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji, stormed the bandits’ enclave at Komani Hills within Rukudawa general area of Zamfara.

He added that the troops overwhelmed the bandits with superior firepower, killing six while others fled with gunshot wounds.

According to him, one GPMG, one AK 47 rifle, one magazine and 34 motorcycles were recovered.

The coordinator further disclosed that the troops had earlier on July 13 responded to a distress call on an attempt by armed bandits to rustle cows at Kasele Village in Batsari area of Katsina State.

He said that when the troops swiftly mobilised to the scene, the bandits fled in disarray and abandoned the rustled animals.

According to him, the gallant troops have maintained a presence in the village and normalcy has been restored.

“The Military High Command congratulates the gallant troops for their dexterity and encourages them to remain resolute and sustain the offensive in the North-West zone of the country,” he said.

Seven Police Officers Deployed To Tackle Banditry In Katsina Die In Motor Accident, 11 Others Injured

Seven police officers have been confirmed dead and 11 others fatally injured in a motor accident on their way to Katsina State.

The officers were part of an additional deployment made recently by the Force to boost the ongoing fight against bandits in Birnin-Gwari.

Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, in a statement said the incident occurred on Sunday.

He said the accident, which involved an 18-seater Toyota bus conveying 18 personnel of the unit, occurred at Jaji town along Kaduna-Zaria Road.

The statement reads, “The Inspector-General of Police, M.A Adamu, has condoled the families of the seven police officers attached to the Special Forces Unit of the Nigeria Police Force who died in a motor accident on 12th July, 2020 on their way to Katsina State. The unfortunate incident, which involved an 18-seater Toyota bus conveying eighteen personnel of the unit, occurred at Jaji town along Kaduna-Zaria Road.

“The deceased were part of an additional deployment made recently by the Force to boost the ongoing fight against bandits in Birnin-Gwari, Katsina State. The IGP, who described the incident as a huge loss to the Force, notes that the incident is one of the unfortunate sacrifices officers often encounter in the line of duty. He described the deceased as “Heroes of Peace”.

“A team of police medical personnel has been dispatched to Kaduna State where 11 officers that survived the accident are receiving medical attention. Three of the deceased officers have been buried according to Islamic rites while the remains of the other four have been deposited in a morgue.”

EFCC Receives Petition To Prosecute Katsina Governor, Masari, Over N52bn Security Votes Misappropriation

Aresident of Kastina State, Muhammad Mahdi Shehu, has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate Governor Aminu Masari for alleged misappropriation and misapplication of over N52bn spent as security vote in the state from June 2015 to April 29, 2020.

Shehu in a petition addressed to the EFCC said the daily attacks by bandits in the state calls for serious question on the sincerity in the security management by the state government.

He said, “This petition and the annextures are intended to draw the attention of your commission to the security expenditure of Kastina State from June 2015 to 29th April, 2020 for your expertise perusal and deep enquiry in order to ascertain the genuine nature of the spending. This is more so because it a standard global practice for appropriated monies to be accounted for because collective ownership hangs on them.

“The repetitive nature of most of the transactions as recorded, the gleaming duplications, inconsistencies, contradictions and repeatedly difficult to understand reasoning particularly the senseless geometrical laughable spending increases on 10 no mobile policemen at Lamba Rimi Windmill Project and so many other expenses that don’t add up, calls or serious questions and cast reasonable doubt on the transparency with which the security vote is being managed.

“Let me also draw your kind attention that by Friday, the 4th of July, 2020, all expenditure related accounting books and documents have been moved to the Government House. It will therefore not be a surprise if attempts will not be made to tamper with them.

“June 2015 to December 2015 - N809,098,210, 2016 - N3,629,189,460, 2017 - N7,880,836,508, 2018 - N24,137,364,725, 2019 - N12,735,698,345, 2020 - N3,494,682,000.”

The anti-graft agency is yet to state when it will act on the petition submitted to it by Shehu on Governor Masari.

Gunmen kill 2, abduct APC chieftain, 9 others in Katsina

Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State, Alhaji Yusau Dissi, was reportedly abducted alongside nine others by gunmen in different attacks across the state.

This came as suspected herdsmen, Saturday night in Asaba, Delta State capital, kidnapped the Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in the state, Goodluck Ofobruku.

In Katsina, the bandits also reportedly killed one Nuru Lawal at Kandawa village and one Aminu Mai Unguwar at Dan Alhaji village in Batsari Local Government Area of the state last Thursday.

At Matazu, the gunmen were said to have targeted the APC chairman in the local government on Saturday but they, however, kidnapped two other residents of the town with him.

At Wurma in Kurfi Local Government Area of the state, four ladies, including a five-year-old, whose mother fled her home when the gunmen struck, were kidnapped on Saturday.

Sources revealed that the casualties included a housewife and her baby as well as a teenage girl while the gunmen rustled about nine sheep and snatched a motorcycle.

Spokesman of the state police command, Gambo Isah, could not be reached for comments on the attacks as at press time.