Day thugs attacked Emir of Bauchi’s palace
Traditional rulers are some of the most respected in the country, principally because they are closest to the people and serve as father figures. The public has real confidence in them because they treat their subjects with love and are often objective judges in communal conflicts. Today, however, modernization has thrown traditional rulers into many […]
Traditional rulers are some of the most respected in the country, principally because they are closest to the people and serve as father figures. The public has real confidence in them because they treat their subjects with love and are often objective judges in communal conflicts.
Today, however, modernization has thrown traditional rulers into many challenges in the administration of justice and sometimes they face the most trying moments of their times from their subjects.
Last Monday, in the wake of the nationwide strike organized by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the palace of the Emir of Bauchi was attacked by miscreants who showed little respect for the Emir, Alhaji Muhammadu Rilwanu Suleimanu Adamu, by injuring his aids and destroying parts of the palace.
The attack on the Palace led to the injury of many people and the smashing of the glasses of the offices of the emirate, including the offices of senior council members.
It took the intervention of mobile policemen and soldiers who used teargas to disperse the youths from the palace.
Bauchi State police public relations officer, ASP Mohammed Barau, said “The situation was brought under control and our men have secured the place.”
The Deputy Information Officer of the Bauchi Emirate, Salmanu Yakubu Lame, confirmed the attack on the palace. He said, “Sara Suka youths who were mainly criminals attacked the palace. They were not part of the protest but they took the advantage of the protest to carry out their criminal activities, because labour union visited the palace with respect and honor to the emir. They submitted a letter to him in the morning before they passed. At that time the emir was inside because they came early in the morning.”
Part of the letter submitted to the Emir which was jointly signed by the state NLC chairman, Comrade Hashimu Gital and the Chairman of the TUC, Mohammed Usman, said the labour union, on behalf of the people called on President Jonathan to revert the pump price of petrol to N65 in order to save the masses from the outrageous consequences of the increase.
The letter said the increase had raised the cost of living for the people and cost of doing business for business people as well as the general wellbeing of already impoverished Nigerians.
Sunday Trust correspondent who visited the Emir’s palace gathered from witnesses that the thugs gathered in front of the palace at the end of the mass rally in which various youth organizations participated, armed with sticks and were chanting slogans in solidarity with the rally against the removal of the oil subsidy, although they burnt tyres near a roundabout few meters away from the emir’s palace”.
The eye witness said they later started abusing people and throwing stones into the palace, destroying in the process, the glasses of the offices of staff of the emirate, injuring many people because they threw hundreds of big stones into the palace.
Palace officials gave different numbers of the people injured. They range from 30, 40, 50 to as many as 100. But it was confirmed that many of the injured were stoned on the head , chest and other sensitive parts of their body.
But another person who spoke to Sunday Trust on condition of anonymity said, “when the protesters thronged the Emir’s Palace, they chanted slogans and demanded to see the emir, vowing that they would not leave the palace until the emir came to address them.”
He said when they refused to leave, the palace guards set out to beat some of them, a move which the witness said angered the protesters who reinforced and returned to stone the palace guards, leaving many of them injured.
The palace guards were said to have returned, faced the protesters and tried to force them back before the intervention of security personnel who used tear gas to disperse them.
Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross in the state, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar, told Sunday Trust that many people were injured, but that concerned members of the public assisted to take the injured to the hospital.
He explained further, “I cannot give you the exact figure of the casualty. I left the report in our office.”
Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Mr Ikechukwu Ayo Aduba, said, “the attack on the number one traditional ruler and highly placed individual by miscreants who hid under the cover of the rally on fuel subsidy is not only condemnable but criminal. The command arrested 16 suspects among the miscreants that attacked the palace in the wake of the protest against the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government, the attack was criminal and as soon as the investigations are concluded, all the suspects will be charged to court.”
He said the security agents are on red alert and fully prepared to crack down heavily on such miscreants who are poised to actualize their evil intention.
Some of the suspects interviewed by Sunday Trust separately denied participating in the attack. “We were not part of the protesters but we were picked randomly by the police because we had weapons in our hands.”
Governor Isa Yuguda in his own words when he saw the 16 people arrested at the state police headquarters, condemned the attack and asked the suspects to explain why they decided to attack the palace.
The governor queried them: “Do you know the status of an emir? Is he a member of a political party? Why did you attack his palace? Are you workers or NLC members? Or are you students? You must speak the truth. No one will release you unless you tell us who your sponsors are.”
Prominent people in Bauchi State, including leaders and members of the NLC and TUC, condemned the attack on the Emir’s palace and disassociated themselves from the act.