The Zamfara State Government has vowed to prosecute the 10 suspects arrested by police operatives over their alleged involvement in the killing of an Islamic scholar, Abubakar Mada, in Mada town, Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The spokesperson for the state governor, Sulaiman Idris, disclosed this in a statement obtained by PUNCH Metro on Wednesday.
According to Idris, the arrested suspects were members of the outlawed vigilante group who did not belong to the state’s Community Protection Guards as speculated in the public.
He noted that the killing of the monarch was an unfortunate incident which could have been prevented and that the government would ensure that justice was served on the matter.
Idris stated, “Zamfara State Government received the heart-wrenching news of the extrajudicial murder of Sheikh Abubakar Hassan Mada in Mada town. It is indeed an unfortunate incident that could have been prevented.
“The arrested vigilantes were not authorised by the state government to carry out any form of security operations as they are not part of the Community Protection Guards. The security operatives have successfully apprehended all suspected vigilantes behind this heinous crime.
“The Zamfara State Government has taken this matter seriously and is committed to ensuring that all the culprits behind this unfortunate murder are brought to book. “Every effort will be put in place to ensure justice is served without compromise.”
He added that while the CPG was established to protect the residents of the state, it had a responsibility to operate within the directives and guidance of authorised security operatives.
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Idris stated that the government needed to clarify the confusion that had trailed the identity of the arrested suspects over the killing of Mada.
He continued, “We want to inform the public that the Zamfara Community Protection Guards has a modus operandi which prevents them from engaging in an operation without the guidance of relevant security operatives.
“Based on the preliminary investigation conducted by the police, it has been discovered that one of the vigilantes who was arrested was a former student of the murdered Sheikh. This information can help the authorities better understand the situation and take appropriate action.
“Zamfara State government will share the outcome of the police investigation with the public once it is concluded. During this trying time, we sympathise with Sheikh Abubakar Hassan Mada’s family and the entire community. May his soul rest in peace.”
PUNCH Metro reported on February 19 that bandits allegedly killed a Divisional Crime Officer in charge of Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State and burnt the police station.
An indigene of the area, Mohammed Ibrahim, had told The PUNCH on the phone that the bandits, who were in large numbers and armed with sophisticated weapons, invaded Zurmi town, the headquarters of Zurmi LGA around 5 pm.
Ibrahim had said that immediately after the bandits arrived at Zurmi town, they went straight to the police station where they began to shoot sporadically, killing the DCO and injuring other police officers in the process before setting the police station on fire.
According to Ibrahim, the bandits attacked the police station following the killing of three of their men by the vigilantes.
