I’ve forgiven those who orchestrated my detention – Shatan Zazzau

Unknown to Shatan Zazzau, however, ill-fate was lurking when he visited the palace on Friday March 18, 2011. According to some sources, in his attempt to please one of the Zazzau princes, Shatan Zazzau was alleged to have hurled what was regarded as insult at the emir. “As a result of this, one of the […]

Unknown to Shatan Zazzau, however, ill-fate was lurking when he visited the palace on Friday March 18, 2011. According to some sources, in his attempt to please one of the Zazzau princes, Shatan Zazzau was alleged to have hurled what was regarded as insult at the emir.

“As a result of this, one of the close aides of the emir took offence. The aide intimated the Wazirin Zazzau and Dokajen Zazzau, two of the emir’s counsellors, about Shatan Zazzau’s utterances. This is why the duo summoned him to the palace on Tuesday, March 22, 2011. On his arrival, Shatan Zazzau met the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Zaria waiting for his arrival. Immediately, the DPO arrested him over an offence of insulting the emir,” Sani Shehu, relative to Shatan Zazzau, said.

Without hesitation, the police charged him to the ‘Yan Tukwane Shari’ah court on that Tuesday where he was ordered to be remanded in prison until Thursday March 31, 2011 when the case would come up for hearing.

While Shatan Zazzau was in prison, his predicament attracted the attention of the Civil Right Congress, a human right organisation. The Congress sent a lawyer to Zaria to help secure bail for the musician. Civil Rights Congress’ intervention did not yield any result as Shatan Zazzau and his close relatives did not cooperate with the lawyer for the fear that they may further offend the palace.

“No one wants to say anything for the fact that the Zazzau palace has interest in the case. We want the matter to be resolved amicably, that is why we don’t want to involve lawyers or press in the matter,” Shehu explained further.

On Monday March 28, 2011, the court shifted ground and granted the singer bail.

Hearing on the case was supposed to resume on Thursday, March 31, 2011. However, neither Shatan Zazzau nor any of his relatives appeared in court. The prosecutor was also nowhere to be found. In what seemed like a mild drama, the court clerk did not list Shatan Zazzau’s case on the day’s proceedings.

Upon enquiries, it was learnt that the Emir was not happy about the jailing of the musician on the premise of insulting him. A dependable source told Sunday Trust that the Emir was reported to have forgiven the musician hence the withdrawal of the case from the ‘Yan Tukwane court.

“I don’t want to say anything but as you can see, I am now a free man. The case is over and I have forgiven anyone who has a hand in my arrest,” Shatan Zazzau told Sunday Trust.

Though, as put by Shatan Zazzau, his arrest and subsequent imprisonment are now history,  for the first time, the musician, who only knows how to sing praises of people, has had a taste of prison and its ‘delicacies’ “among which is Gabza.”