Zamfara emir suspended by state governor after he turbans bandit leader Ado Aleru

NOTORIOUS bandit leader Ado Aleru has been turbaned as the Sarkin Fulani of Yandoto Emirate by the Emir of Yandoto Daji Emirate Aliyu Garba Marafa in a controversial move that has led to the immediate suspension of the monarch by the Zamfara State governor.

On Saturday evening, the turbaning ceremony took place, attended by several bandit leaders and their lieutenants who arrived at the venue on motorbikes. One local resident said that the decision to make the bandits’ leader a chief was aimed at finding lasting peace in Tsafe and the Yandoton Daji Emirates and other areas regularly attacked by his gangs.

One palace official added that the title of Sarkin Fulani was conferred on Alero considering his present status as a peace-maker within the emirate. According to the official, the chieftaincy title was given to him in appreciation of the peace reconciliation.

He added: "These people called us for peace between us and them, what can we do? It is only to accept the peace, we cannot do otherwise. Yandoton Daji is one of the two new emirates created by the Zamfara State government in May and was carved out from the Tsafe Emirate.”

Tsafe emirate which was created with a second-class emir, comprises Yandoton Daji, Keta, Kizara, Bawa Kwanga, Kwaren Ganuwa, Danjibga and Kuncin Kalgo districts with its  headquarters at Birnin Yandoto. In a swift response to the development, however, the Zamfara State government suspended the Emir of Sabon Birnin Yandoto Emirate Council Alhaji Aliyu Garba Marafa.

Kabiru Balarabe, the secretary to the Zamfara State government, said: “This is to inform the general public that the Zamfara State government has dissociated itself from the alleged turbaning of a Sarkin Fulani by the Emir of Birnin Yandoto of Tsafe Local Government Area. In this regard, the state executive governor, Hon Bello Mohammed Matawalle has directed for suspension of the emir with immediate effect.

“Accordingly, the executive governor has approved the appointment of a committee to investigate the circumstances leading to the action of the emir. In the meantime, Alhaji Mahe Garba Marafa, who is the district head of Yandoto, is hereby assigned to take charge of the affairs of the emirate.

Alhaji Lawali Magaji, the spokesperson of the Yandoto Emirate, who justified the conferment of the title on Aliero, said the bandit leader had repented and his present status as a peace-maker within the emirate was something to be rewarded. He added: “He has been trying to stop banditry within the emirate and we have seen positive changes.

“The conferment of the title of Sarkin Fulani on Adamu Aliero will give him more power to control the entire Fulani people within the emirate. It will also enable him to checkmate the activities of the recalcitrant bandits and take action against them.”