Story of Kaduna’s ‘gun-runner’ …family insists he is innocent
The residents of Tirkania in Kaduna City are torn between two questions: Is Comrade Nuhu Muhammad Marafa (alias Comrade Intelligent), former chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association who was arrested Sunday by the military a gunrunner as alleged, or is he being set-up as his family and supporters claim because of his vociferousness against […]
The residents of Tirkania in Kaduna City are torn between two questions: Is Comrade Nuhu Muhammad Marafa (alias Comrade Intelligent), former chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association who was arrested Sunday by the military a gunrunner as alleged, or is he being set-up as his family and supporters claim because of his vociferousness against injustice suffered by members of his community? On face value this is a criminal allegation which the courts should be allowed to decide, but then so contentious is the issue at hand that it threatens once more to open up old sectarian wounds.
Two days after Marafa’s arrest, the army paraded him along with his son, Musa. Lt. Colonel Abubakar Edun, spokesperson of 1 Division, said nine 9MM ammunition, five 6MM ammunition, 7.62 mm (special) ammunition, 11 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 17 Barrel Gun Cartridges were found in Marafa’s house. Other items recovered were one pump action gun, two double-edge special axes, three machetes, two metal bows, three long wooden clubs, one black Army belt, one Camouflage belt, two dog-tags belonging to the Nigerian army and Nigerian army camouflage trousers. “Other items recovered from him,” Lt. Colonel Edun added, includes two GSM phones, 10 pairs of vehicle plate numbers and three single vehicle plate numbers, one whistle, one passport, GSM Sim packs, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) bomb in a bottle, which if ignited can cause serious collateral damage to lives and property, among others.”
Lt. Colonel Edun said the ex-PTD chairman was arrested based on the discovery made by the 1 Division at his house when soldiers went for a search after receiving a tip-off. He said: “The activities of Alhaji Nuhu Mohammed Marafa that attracted the attention of the Nigerian Army bordered on issues of national security. Specifically, it has to do with gun-running and suspected association with a terrorist group. Before troops could gain entrance into the house there was a gun shot fired at soldiers from the compound. It was later revealed that the shot was fired, allegedly, by Yusuf Nuhu Mohammed, the son of Alhaji Nuhu Mohammed Marafa. Yusuf escaped with the weapon by scaling the fence of the compound.”
However, Marafa’s wife Amina said the arms were planted by a girl called Imbi who came along with the soldiers during the early morning operation. “Imbi is a friend of our family,” Amina said. “She has access to every part of our house. She is very close to Yusuf, one of our sons. We were surprised when we saw her with the soldiers that night. She also followed them when they came back for the second search in the morning. She was the one that took the soldiers to Yusuf’s room where they found Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs) and other ammunitions. We believe she planted those in the boy’s room because she’s always there.” Amina added that her husband brought out his own gun to show the soldiers. “We’re surprised to see them parading him with other arms which were not taken from our house. What they recovered when they came was his licensed-gun, Army uniform that belongs to our son and some wooden clubs, which he uses in scaring dogs that normally disturb us in the night.”
Amina is also worried about the whereabouts of their son Yusuf. “We have not seen him since the soldiers raided our house. And we read in the papers that he has been declared wanted by the soldiers but we suspect that the soldiers have him.”
Marafa’s younger brother, Alhaji Ahamadu Ahmed, told Weekly Trust that the uniform found in the house belongs to the son of the ex-PTD chairman, who was a cadet at the Command Secondary School, Kaduna. “No gunshot was fired at the soldiers when they came to arrest my brother, contrary to the claim of the soldiers,” he said. “The soldiers are acting out a script, which was detailed on finding ways of nailing my brother at all cost.”
Malam Ibrahim Haruna, a neighbour who witnessed the raid, said: “It is not true that they found cutlasses in the house because we all came out to witness the arrest. The cutlasses they paraded him with were taken from the nearby mosque, which we use for clearing of graveyards.”
Tirkania is tense, as Marafa’s supporters allege he is being set up. When news of his arrest filtered in, the area was almost turned upside-down as some youths took to the streets to protest. When Weekly Trust visited the area at about 9am of same day, numerous vans belonging to the military and one Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) were sighted, as security measures.
Marafa is the traditional title holder of Marafan Nasarawa. He is also the former Kaduna State chairman of the Petroleum Tankers’ Drivers (PTD). He is known to be outspoken on social issues and his voice was loudly heard after the recent post-electoral violence that erupted in Kaduna. His supporters say it is these activities that have put him in trouble.
This belief was further impressed in the minds of his supporters who queried the way the soldiers, who arrested Marafa, allowed the informants who guided them into the house to take photo shots of the arrest. “You know how strict military men are,” a resident who pleaded for anonymity said. “There is no way they would allow somebody to snap pictures while in the process of arresting somebody. But we have seen when the people who accompanied them were taking photos of the arrest.”
In a show of solidarity, residents in Nassarawa/Sabon Gari trooped out in hundreds on Tuesday, January 17, to the Juma’at mosque in the area. Addressing the gathering, the chairman of the forum, Malam Yusuf Muhammead Yunusa faulted the claims of the Army that numerous arms were found in Marafa’s house. He said: “Only a pump action gun was found in the house. The soldiers should fear God and tell the world the truth about where they got the ammunitions from. Only a gun was found in his house and it has license number 00859. We are appealing to the state and federal government to investigate the allegation leveled against him, because we suspect foul play.”
Marafa’s lawyer, Barrister Sani Muhammead Katu, said in a press conference that the arrest of his client has political undertones and that he would institute legal action against the military authorities.
As at the afternoon of Thursday, January 19, Kaduna State police commissioner, Ballah M. Nasarawa, confirmed that the Army authority has yet to hand over Marafa to them. This is contrary to the declaration of Lt. Colonel Edun, who said on Monday, January 16, that the suspects would be handed over to the appropriate authority for further action. When Weekly Trust asked, Edun said he could not comment on the issue.
On Thursday, Kaduna State Council of Imams and Ulama met over the issue. Speaking to Weekly Trust on the outcome of their meeting, chairman of the Council, Sheikh Zubair Suraj, said they have resolved to meet the family of Comrade Intelligent, the state commissioner of police and the director of the State Security Service (SSS) to lodge a formal complaint. “We have also appealed to all Imams to use Juma’at prayers to seek divine intervention on the issue, because we believe that the whole incident is a set up.” Pending when investigation would be concluded for the truth to unveil itself, the question still waiting for an answer is whether Marafa is a gunrunner or a victim of his outspokenness.