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Political Games: Why Bafarawa Was Arrested By The Police

In January this year, a member of the family of former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa and a Commissioner in the state, Sagir Bafarawa was arrested by the Police.

Bafarawa’s arrest was in connection with the earlier arrest of his cousin, Musa Kamarawa over allegations around armed banditry.

Musa has since filed a lawsuit against the Police for arresting him without trial.

In a statement released to Gatekeepers News by Musa’s soliticitors, it was revealed that Musa has filed an application before the Federal High Court in Abuja for the enforcement of his fundamental rights and right to fair hearing for failure of the Police to charge him to court after detaining him without trial since November and refusal to grant him access to his lawyers and relatives.

The case with Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CA/266/2022 was presented before Honourable Justice Emeka Nwite of Court 8 at the Federal High Court Abuja filed for and on behalf of MUSA MOHAMMED SHINKAFI (Applicant) by the Liborous Oshoma Esq of Liborous Oshoma Chambers. The cases have as Respondents the Governor of Zamfara State, The Attorney General Of Zamfara State, The Commissioner of Police Zamfara State and the Inspector General of Police.

The Applicant is praying the court to amongst other things make a declaration his arrest, continued harassment, threats to life and detention of the Police without trial.

He’s also calling on the court to rule that the instigation of the Governor, is unlawful, unconstitutional and amounts to a violation of his Fundamental Rights as guaranteed under Sections 33, 34, 35, 36 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) and Articles 6 & 7 the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap. A9, LFN, 2004, and is therefore illegal and unconstitutional.

Sagir was arrested earlier in the year over his cousin’s alleged connection with armed bandits, however, Musa’s revelations were different.

In what looked like a political game, Musa said he was asked by the Governor of Zamfara State to name his uncle and mentor, Attahiru Bafarawa as the sponsor of bandits in the state. When he refused to do this, he was threatened with punishments by the governor.

The man accused of armed banditry had also been appointed a Special Assistant to the Governor but he refused the appointment and was arrested afterwards.

In a statement revealed to Gatekeepers News by Musa’s solicitors, a breakdown of the events that transpired before his arrest without trial was revealed.

“Sometime in 2019, he (Musa Shinkafi) was kidnapped by bandits. After his release, sometimes in that same 2019 the Governor of Zamfara State extended amnesty to the Bandits by calling a Truce and appointed him as Special Assistant to the Governor,” the statement said.

“As a result of the Musa’s official position, the Zamfara State Government gives him #10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) monthly to take to the Bandits as Amnesty money for them, so as to stop Banditry. Based on that appointment, Musa became the go-between the Government of Zamfara State and the Bandits.

“During the event of the Amnesty and even after the Bandits returned to the Bush following a fallout of the Truce, Musa to the knowledge of the Government, served as an intermediary or go-between between the Parties – the Government and the Bandits. By this, one of the obligations of the Musa was to deliver the Government’s messages to the Bandits and vice versa.

“Musa, also sometime in 2019 had on the request of the Governor, His Excellency Matawalle, brought Turji (one of the bandits) from Shinkafi to Government House, Gusau, Zamfara State for a meeting with the Governor, and also took Turji (bandit) back to Shinkafi after the meeting.

“Whilst serving in this capacity, Musa worked in collaboration and conjunction with the Security Adviser to the Governor, hence the Musa had access to Government house and Government functionaries.

“Sometime on the 30th of September, 2021, the former Governor of Sokoto State – Bafarawa, who is a relative of the Musa and his mentor, granted an interview to the BBC Hausa Service accusing the Zamfara State Governor amongst others of being nonchalant to the plight of the citizenry and master-minder of Banditry in Zamfara State.

“Immediately the news broke out, the Governor called Musa and instructed him to debunk the allegations of the former Governor of Sokoto State and also requested Musa to levy allegations against the said former Governor of Sokoto State – (Bafarawa) that rather, it was the said Bafarawa that was responsible for banditry in the State.

“The Governor subsequently gave Musa the sum of #1,000,000 (One Million Naira) and asked him to go think about it promising him a handsome reward and more money, should he execute the job very well. Otherwise, the Governor would accuse Musa of divulging official secret information on the workings of the State Government to the former Governor of Sokoto State, on the ground that the former Governor could not have made such allegation if Musa did not divulge official State information to him.

“Musa vehemently denied the allegation of the Governor against him and subsequently rejected the Governor’s offer on the ground that aside the fact that the former Governor of Sokoto State was related to him being his distant Uncle, he (the erstwhile Governor of Sokoto State) was also a mentor to him and he would not dare to tell lies against him.

“According to the deponent, Musa further informed him that he pleaded with the Governor that he should be allowed to state the true position of things instead of publishing lies and propaganda, as he would not want to be used to fight political battles.

“For this act of refusing to obey the unlawful and unethical Orders of the Governor, the Governor then informed Musa that if he understands the enormous powers of a Governor, he would do his bidding and that the consequences of his refusal were grave and thereafter threatened that he would keep Musa away for a long time till he comes to his senses.

“Musa was subsequently arrested on the 12th of October, 2021 by men and officers of the Nigerian Police Force on the allegations that he was a gun-runner, who was sponsoring banditry, selling guns and ammunitions to Bandits and all manner of other spurious allegations.

“Since his arrest apart from social media stories of his investigation, all efforts by his relatives to communicate with him have remained futile, and the police have refused refused to charge him for any known offence.”

Sagir’s arrest in January and the threats to Musa indicated that there could be political undertones to their arrest and detention, hence the lawsuit to challenge the lack of justification.