With 55 days to leave office, Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara State has pardon the Emir of Birnin Yandoto, Alhaji Aliyu Garba Marafa Tsafe Local government Area of the State.
The traditional ruler was suspended in July last year by the State government for conferring a chieftaincy title on a banditry kingpin, Ado Aleiru.
The recent decision by the Government which was perceived as a parting gift by the outgoing State Chief Executive, was conveyed by the Secretary to the State Government, Kabiru Balarabe Sardauna in a statement on Sunday.
The announcement sparked off jubilation among residents of Birnin Yandoto, but Nigerians in social media Community have criticised the government decision.
According to Daily Trust, the 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 Tsafa Area of the State.
But Sardauna insisted that 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”.
He said, “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”, the statement said.
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