Two Lawmakers lose seats in Zamfara Assembly for alleged links with bandits

The Zamfara State House of Assembly has suspended two members of the House for allegedly aiding bandits in the state.

A statement issued by the Director-General Press Affairs of the Assembly, Mustapha Ja’afaru, the House said the affected lawmakers, Yusuf Muhammad Anka, representing Anka Constituency, and Ibrahim T. Tukur Bakura, representing Bakura Constituency had been suspended for three months pending the conclusion of investigation on the allegations levelled against them.

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The statement noted that the duo would appear before the House Committee on ethics and privileges alongside security agencies that are assigned by law to investigate them.

According to the statement: “These are part of the resolutions reached at the end of the plenary session presided over the speaker of the House, Rt Hon Nasiru Mu’azu Magarya, under matters of urgent public importance.”

Leading the debate on the matter shortly after each and every member swore an oath in an Islamic way, a member representing Maru North Hon Yusuf Alhassan Kanoma drew the attention of his colleagues that there is burning issue in the House against the two members, who were alleged to be involved in aiding banditry activities.

He added that the House should not fold its arms and allow the alleged gross official misconduct to be swept under the carpet.

Hon Kanoma further alleged that during the kidnap saga of the father of speaker, the late Alhaji Mu’azu Abubakar Magarya in particular, Yusuf Muhammad Anka and Ibrahim T Tukur Bakura were said to have been jubilating over the issue.

He also alleged that the lawmakers in the House masterminded the killing of the late Hon Muhammad G. Ahmad (Walin Jangeru), a former member, representing Shinkafi constituency.

According to him, their conversation with the bandits was well recorded.

Therefore, he called on the security agencies to fully track all their telephone conversations with the bandits and listen to all their conversations.

The lawmaker also called on his colleagues to as a matter of urgency suspend them from all House activities for an initial period of three months, pending the conclusion of investigations on the two embattled members.

Similarly, a member representing Birnin Magaji Constituency, Hon. Nura Dahiru Sabon birnin Dan Ali, concurred with his colleague and strongly backed Hon Kanoma on the issue, saying his efforts of mediating and negotiating with notorious bandits Bello Turji on so many occasions to secure the release of the late Alhaji Mu’azu Magarya should not go in vain.

He pointed out that detractors of peace in the state should face the full wrath of the law.

In his ruling on the matter, the speaker of the House Rt. Hon. Nasiru Mu’azu Magarya, acceded to the request of the House and suspended the two members for the initial period of three (3) months.

He also directed the Chairman of House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Hon Kabiru Hashimu Dansadau, to fully investigate these members and report its findings back to the plenary in the next three months.

While expressing his dismay over their alleged involvement in banditry activities, the speaker also relieved them of their positions as chairmen of their respective committees.