ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
The 21st memorial anniversary in honour of a late leader and crusader of the Sayawa people of Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Areas of Bauchi State, Peter Gonto, on Friday turned violent as the venue of the event and some houses were destroyed and burnt down by rampaging women and youths.
The two days events were organized in honour of Gonto, the first Christian convert in Sayawa land who later became an evangelist, has caused sharp division among the Sayawa people in the two LGAs.
Journalists who were invited to cover the event in Bogoro town could not enter the town but had to turn back because of the brewing violence there. Just as the convoys of the Emirs of Bauchi and Dass, Alhaji Rilwan Adamu and Alhaji Biliyaminu Oathman respectively, who were on their way to the event were attacked and had to turn back to Bauchi with some vehicles in their convoy. The windscreen of the Emir of Dass was among the vehicles partly destroyed with stones and sticks.
There was a heavy presence of security personnel made up of the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, Department of State Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, vigilante and hunters, among others, who were stationed in more than 16 security Hilux vehicles at strategic locations in Tafawa Balewa Town.
All roads leading to Bogoro Town through Tafawa Balewa, Gwarangah and Mwari were blocked by the protesting youths while some houses in Bogoro town were also burnt down, besides the houses that were burnt down in Tafawa Balewa Town on Thursday.
NATIONAL ACCORD learnt that the musical concert which was part of the two days activities lined up for the anniversary, was successfully held on Thursday, 30th with prominent artists including Dr. Panam Pacy Paul in attendance.
However, rampaging women and youths besieged Government Secondary School, Bogoro, venue of the memorial lecture, forcing the event scheduled for Friday, 31st December, to end abruptly shortly after the book launch in honour of Gonto was presented to the public. They thereafter, burnt down the canopies, chairs and the stage causing those there to scamper for safety.
The Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State, Umar Sanda, told journalists that security agents were still in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro towns keeping the peace there and gathering information, promising to make findings public at a later date.
Recalled that Yakubu Dogara, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, representing Dass/Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro Constituency, had written a letter to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, over security threats in the area, should the memorial be allowed to hold.
A group, Concerned Mwari Youth Forum, told journalists at a press conference on Monday that the claim by the Lawmaker of security threats in the area was untrue insisting that the event, planned to honour Gonto, a grandfather to Dogara’s wife, will hold as planned.
Another group, Mwari Youth Development Association (MWAYODA), on Tuesday, also addressed journalists at a press conference and rejected the planned event saying if it is allowed to hold, it will divide the Sayawa people and cause breakdown of security in the area.
But despite the warning by Dogara and MWAYODA, the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Umar Sanda, gave approval for the event to hold just as he ordered the full deployment of Police tactical teams to provide security to lives and properties before, during and after the memorial anniversary and book launch.
Our Correspondent learnt that this did not go down well with majority of the people from the two LGAs as hundreds of them travelled to Tafawa Balewa town where they staged a peaceful protest on Thursday afternoon demanding the cancellation of the event, allegedly leading to the burning down of some houses in the area.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress in Bauchi state on Friday morning, warned its members in the state not to attend the 21st memorial anniversary lecture of a late leader and crusader of the Sayawa people scheduled to take place today.
The APC in a statement signed by its acting Publicity Secretary, Adamu Jalla, made available to journalists, described the event as politically motivated and an affair of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
The party, in the statement entitled: “Call for all APC members to desist from attending the purported memorial ceremony in honour of late Baba Peter Gonto, Mwari, Bogoro LGA,” said it disapproves and dissociates itself from the event, saying it was being championed by Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed.
“We, as a Political Party, categorically disapprove of and dissociate ourselves from the proposed memorial event purportedly organised in honour of late Baba Peter Gonto of Mwari, to hold on 31st December, 2021 in Bogoro L.G.A, Bauchi State, as championed by the Governor of Bauchi State and was done without the involvement of APC stakeholders.
“All APC members and concerned peace-loving citizens are hereby called upon to shun the politically inclined ceremony in the interest of peace, law, order and tranquillity in our society. This decision is predicated on the grounds that knowing fully that the proposed memorial event was termed as Zaar formality, the conception, planning and its organization were masterminded by the Bauchi State Governor and his PDP Stakeholders without the involvement of APC Stakeholders from the area or any part of Bauchi State.
“The fact remains that membership of the Planning Committee and other subcommittees are lopsided and parochial without justification. This goes without saying that the proposed ceremony is intended to serve the interest of a group of some people rather than collective societal interest.
“In view of imminent security threat and the ill-motive behind organizing the event, concerned citizens of Bogoro Local Government Area have since kicked against it for obvious reasons and for the fear of security breach. Peace and stability being enjoyed in Bogoro LGA and Bauchi State cannot be sacrifice on the altar of political interest.”
The APC alleged that despite this, the Governor vetoed their efforts while insisting that the ceremony must hold against all odds for some political benefits derivable thereof stressing that: “In view of unfavourable available security reports at the moment, we shall not out of negligence, expose our people to imminent danger which may yield negative consequences.”
The opposition party in the state said that owing to the recent “uncooked utterances” of the Governor against the President and the APC Government of Nigeria, it is clear that the Governor prioritizes his party PDP over the people of Bauchi State.
“Thus, APC members must desist from participating in the purported memorial ceremony which is a PDP programme in disguise. Our members are conscious enough and wise to avoid being used for cheap political gains.
“While we categorically oppose and disapprove of the cunning tactics of the Governor in disguise. It will be a great disservice to APC members and people of Bauchi State to stand as onlookers while the state resources are being relegated for PDP rally-in-disguise otherwise than the true intent and purposes.
“In conclusion, the APC family resists any attempt to such chicanery and shall not partake in any attempt to jeopardize public interest whatsoever. Our members shall not engage in anything aimed at satisfying personal or political interests at the expense of peaceful co-existence and societal progress.
“We therefore call on all APC members in the entire Bauchi State to desist from attending the purported memorial ceremony in honour of late Baba Peter Gonto, Mwari, Bogoro LGA. No loyal APC member is permitted to attend the PDP disguised ceremony for whatever reason,” the statement concluded.
The statement was copied to President Muhammadu Buhari; Chairman, APC National Caretaker and Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee, Mai Mala-Buni; Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General, Department of State Service, the Commissioner of Police Bauchi State and the Director, DSS Bauchi State Command.
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