Bauchi Gov’t sues Dogara, 28 others to court over Tafawa Balewa, Bogoro violence
Story from Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government has filed a fresh suit against the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara Yakubu Dogara and 28 others before a Bauchi State High Court for 11 count criminal charges.
The criminal charges against the defendants were necessitated by the alleged killings and destruction of properties that followed the disruption of the celebration of the leader and crusader of the Sayawa nation held Bogoro, headquarters of Bogoro local government areas of the state.
As contained in the charge sheet prepared by Hassan U. El-Yakub (SAN), leading counsel to the state government, endorsed by the Chief Registrar of the High Court of Bauchi State, indicated that the 11 count charge made public on Friday included that Yakubu Dogara who is the number one defendant alongside 28 others were accused of conspiring to cause bodily harm to people in the area in order to frustrate the progress of the memorial anniversary.
The eleven count suit reads in part: “Pursuant to Sections 98 (1) & (2), 100 (b) and 103 (b) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Bauchi State, 2018. Count One: That you, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, the male of Maitama, Abuja-FCT, Air Commodore Ishaku Komo (Rtd), a male of Kaduna-Abuja Road, Kaduna, Kaduna State, Rev. Markus Musa, a male of Tafawa Balewa Town, Peter Emmanuel, the male of Tafawa Balewa Town, Ga’Allah Daniel, the male of Tafawa Balewa Town, Iliya Emmanuel, a male of Tafawa Balewa Town.”
The charge sheet further contained that, “On or about the 29th, 30 and/or 31st day of December 2021 agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit: you conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to incite the youths of Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro towns to disturb public peace by burning people’s houses, blocking access roads, physically attacking invited guests and other participants attending the ‘21 Year Memorial Anniversary and Book Launch of Late Baba Peter Gonto at Bogoro Town’, and to destroy and burn all facilities provided for the occasion, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Bauchi State.
“On or about the 29th, 30th and/or 31st day of December 2021 agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit: you conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to commit the offence of Mischief by Fire by burning people’s houses in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro during the ‘21Year Memorial Anniversary and Book Launch of Late Baba Peter Gonto at Bogoro Town’ and to destroy and burn all facilities provided for the occasion, thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of the penal code law of Bauchi state”.
It further reads, “On or about the 29,30th and/or 31st day of December 2021 agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit: you conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to commit the offence of Culpable Homicide during the ‘21Year Memorial Anniversary and Book Launch of Late Baba Peter Gonto at Bogoro Town’ and that you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Bauchi State.”
No date has been fixed for the commencement of the case but the court processes are being served as indicated by the charging sheets.
It was reported that the Emirs of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu and Dass, Alh. Usman Bilyaminu Othman were attacked by hoodlums on their way to the event leading to the damage of cars of the emirs.
READ ALSO: Bauchi Emirate reacts to attacks on Emir of Bauchi, Dass
Recall that before the date of the event, the former Speaker, Yakubu Dogara had allegedly written a letter to the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of State Security Services, warning that there was an impending security threat if the 21st remembrance anniversary of Baba Gonto was allowed to hold, a development which led to accusation and counter-accusations among prominent Sayawa people, while other groups of Sayawa opposed the memorial event.
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