‘Notorious Bandit Leader’ Bags Chieftaincy Title In Zamfara

The Zamfara State Government has suspended the Emir of Birnin ‘Yandoto of Tsafe Local Government Area, Aliyu Marafa, for conferring a chieftaincy title to who the government described as a “notorious bandit leader.”

The alleged notorious leader of bandits in Zamfara State, Ado Aleru, was turbaned as Sarkin Fulani (Chief of Fulanis) of Yandoto Emirate by the Emir of Yandoto Daji Emirate, Aliyu Garba Marafa.

Reportedly, several bandit group leaders and lieutenants arrived at the venue of the occasion on several motorbikes to celebrate with Aleru during his turbaning. The news of the turbaning ceremony along with photos went viral, generating outcry and outrage.

But earlier reports have it that the decision to make the bandits’ leader a chief was aimed at finding lasting peace in Tsafe and the Yandoton Daji Emirates, and other areas that were regularly attacked by Aleru-led gangs.

Explaining the rationale behind the move by the palace, an official from the palace who pleaded anonymity said that the title of Sarkin Fulani was conferred on Alero, considering his present status as a ‘peace-maker’ within the emirate.

“The chieftaincy title was given to him in appreciation of the peace reconciliation,” he said.

“It was aimed at providing lasting peace in the emirate, the emir told us that there is a peace accord between the emirate and the bandit group,” a source said.

The palace person was then asked if the state government was aware of the development, he responded in the affirmative.

“Of course (state government was aware), we cannot do otherwise. We are terrorised, we cannot go to our farms; some of our people have evacuated from the town, and they ran away. How can we live in that situation?” he queried.

“We did not have any reinforcement from outside or from government; these people called us for peace between us and them, what can we do? It is only to accept the peace, we cannot do otherwise.

“Yandoton Daji is one of the two new emirates created by the Zamfara State government in May and was carved out from the Tsafe Emirate.”

The emirate which was created with a second-class emir comprises Yandoton Daji, Keta, Kizara, Bawa Kwanga, Kwaren Ganuwa, Danjibga, and Kuncin Kalgo districts with headquarters at Birnin Yandoto under Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.