The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has directed the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, to intensify efforts in tracking down the assailants responsible for the murder of Alhaji Isa Muhammad Bawa, the Sarkin Gobir of Gatawa District, Sabon Birni Local Government Area, Sokoto State.
Earlier, Naija News House reported that the terrorists responsible for the gruesome murder of Alhaji made a chilling demand.
They demanded a ransom of N60 million and five motorcycles in exchange for the release of the traditional ruler’s body for proper burial.
Bawa and his son were taken captive in July at Kwanar Maharba while en route from Sokoto to Sabon Birni, his hometown and the headquarters of Sabon Birni local government in Sokoto State.
The kidnappers initially demanded a staggering N1 billion ransom for the release of the victims.
In a statement on Friday, Henshaw Ogubike, the Ministry of Defence’s Director of Information and Public Relations, noted the minister condemned the death of the district head, describing it as heinous, senseless, and unacceptable.
He said the minister had ordered the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, to pursue the monarch’s killers.
The statement reads, “The Minister of State for Defence has strongly condemned the brutal killing of the Head of Gatawa District in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Alhaji Isa Bawa, describing it as heinous and unacceptable.
“He said the killing of Bawa was a senseless and brutal act that would not be tolerated.
“Consequent to this, Matawalle has directed the Chief of Defence Staff to immediately launch a thorough investigation into the incident and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.”
According to him, President Bola Tinubu has prioritised security as a key agenda item and has been providing full backing to the military in its efforts.
Matawalle, however, assured the public that the Armed Forces would leave no stone unturned in fishing out the perpetrators of this heinous crime and bringing them to justice.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of all Nigerians,” he added.
Matawalle also offered his condolences to the family of the late district head, the people of Gatawa, and the Sokoto State Government.
It was recently reported that a notorious terrorist Mohammed Bello Turji Kachalla, popularly known as Turji, had reiterated his accusation that Matawalle supported terrorism in Nigeria’s Northwest region.
In a recent video, Turji alleged that Matawalle, the immediate former governor of Zamfara State, had ties to bandits.
In August 2023, President Bola Tinubu announced the appointment of Matawalle, the former Zamfara state governor, as the Minister of State for Defence.
Matawalle’s previous role as governor was marked by heavy criticism due to insecurity issues that plagued Zamfara state under his administration
Turji’s last accusation followed a previous denial by Matawalle’s camp after the bandit initially linked him to terrorist activities in the region.
Turji has been operating in northern Nigerian states including Zamfara, Sokoto and Niger.
Turji challenged Matawalle’s supporters to investigate his claims rather than dismissing them as propaganda.
“If you don’t have knowledge about the situation, go and investigate and stop misleading the public,” he said.
He questioned the role of Matawalle and others in the kidnapping and subsequent release of female students in Marado.
He asked, “Since you said Bashari is not a bandit and said Matawalle has no hand in the banditry activities, I am asking you from whom did they rescue the girls?”
Turji accused Bashari of continuous operations between Zamfara and Sokoto states without any evidence to suggest he had surrendered to authorities.
In response to allegations made previously, the minister’s camp refuted Turji’s claims, describing them as baseless.
Despite this, Turji in his last video insisted his allegations are accurate and based on truth.
“Every sensible person is aware of the situation and knows what I’m talking about,” he said.