Protesters
By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
There was palpable tension in Rafin Zurfi Community in Bauchi Local Government Area of Bauchi State as youths and women on Monday, blocked the ever-busy Bauchi – Dass road, protesting the detention of the Rafin Zurfi traditional ruler (Mai Angwa Rafin Zurfi), Patrick Aliyu, his wife, his elder sister and one other person.
The angry but peaceful youths insisted that the road which was blocked at Benco junction close to the house of the arrested monarch, said the road will not be opened until their chief and the other three arrested with him are released.
It was learnt that the Mai Angwa, with those arrested have reportedly been remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Center in Bauchi.
When our Correspondent visited the scene of the blockade at about 6.30pm, it was observed that there were hundreds of women and youths who were on the highway expressing their anger and grievances on the incident.
They used motorcycles, logs of wood, benches and tires to block the road while armed policemen were seen around the area trying to calm the situation.
More than 100 cars and motorcycles were stranded as they were denied passage through the area. Many of them waited for close to two hours while others took alternative routes to get to their destinations.
After about one hour 30 minutes later, the protest took another dimension as the Police started firing teargas at the women and youths when they could not be calmed.
The Police had to use force and teargas before they were able to open the road to allow for a free flow of traffic.
The daughter of the traditional ruler, Precious, told journalists that her father has been having an issue with a resident of the area, who dragged her father to court and they were then remanded at Correctional Center.
“My dad had issues with J. B. the owner of some shops being constructed at Rafin Zurfi close to Benco junction because of a piece of land. The issue started since January last year. Sometimes around August, he was fighting for the land that he wants to block the place where my dad used to pass with his car and the land is ours not he’s.
“We don’t know why he’s fighting for the land or why he wants the land. We took the case to Sarkin Gwallameji but he said we must sell the land to him but we refused. They’ve been going to the Police Station for the case. Today in the morning, they called them at the court that they should come, though I was at home but I don’t know for what reason.
“My mum told me to come to the court with N5,000, so I took the money with me. I went to the Magistrate Court 3. I took the money but they said we’ll have to pay N50,000 each making N200,000. After everything, one Police Officer now came in a Hilux and took my dad, my mum, my aunt and cousin to the Correctional center but we couldn’t do anything; I only started crying,” she narrated.
Expressing her feelings about the incident, Precious said: “I am so angry, my blood is boiling about what this man did to my parents, an elderly man who did nothing to him. Yet, he had then arrested and taken to prison about our own land. It is not as if it was we that wanted to sell the land. I feel very bitter and sad about the whole thing and I’ve just been crying.”
The Youth Leader of Rafin Zurfi, Dedan Dedanson, who spoke to journalists, expressed sadness over the incident, saying that the road would not be open until their demand of freeing their Mai Angwa and all those arrested with him.
He said: ‘The Mai Angwa of Rafin Zurfi who’s a staff of the Federal Polytechnic, had a little problem with one Mr. J. B. The matter was then taken to court and we heard that they have been moved to Bauchi Correctional Center. That is why the women and youths of this area came out to the road demanding that the Mai Angwa, his wife, his elder sister and one other person if not they will not open the road.”
