Continued detention of monarch sparks mass Protest in Tafawa Balewa town
Samuel Luka, Bauchi
Following the continued detention of Gung Zaar-select, Retired Air Commodore Ishaku Komo, Women of Zaar/Sayawa ethnic group from Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa local government areas of Bauchi on Thursday staged another protest in their hundreds.
The protesters said that the street protest was conducted to show loyalty to the detained monarch and demand for his release.
Our Corresspondent gathered that the protest which has been generally peaceful is holding for the fifth time since the news of the monarch’s arrest and subsequent detention went public.
It can be recall that the Bauchi State Police Command arrested Komo and six others in connection to the recent communal crisis in Sang community of Bogoro LGA after the coronation of a Hamlet Head.
The Bauchi state police command had few days ago, issued a press statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, SP Ahmed Wakil, said that the monarch and six other persons are being investigated in connection to the crisis.
The protesters who were mostly dressed in black attires, held leaves in their hands while others were carrying placards and banners with various inscriptions, demanding for the release of the Gung Zaar-select.
The assistant women leader of the Zaar ethnic group, Rahatu Luka said that they were prompted to staged the protest to demand for the release of the Gung Zaar-select.
“We are angry that without committing any offence, our monarch was arrested while preparing for his mother’s burial and is being detained by the state authority up to now, it pains us”, she said.
Speaking to journalists during the protest, the National Chairman of Zaar Youth Development Association (ZAYODA), Mr. Ga-Allah Daniel, appealed to the government to facilitate the release of the traditional leader for continued peace and tranquility in the affected areas.
According to him, majority of the Zaar/Sayawa kinsmen have spoken with one voice by selecting the paramount Ruler who was being expected to be confirmed by the state government for over a decade.
He regretted that the Bauchi state government after knowing fully, the position of Zaar people on the retired Air Commodore Ishaku Komo, resorted to calling him self acclaimed monarch.
“I am telling you that our hearts are bitter about what happened and the reason is the unlawful detention of our leader who police and the Bauchi state government addressed him as self acclaimed leader”, he said.
“Let me tell you, Gung Zaar-select is not self acclaimed, he is the people’s choice, he did not choose himself, he didn’t wake up overnight to say he is the leader, our people went to meet him in Kaduna and pleaded with him to take the position. So, the police should know that he is not self acclaimed but rather, the choice of the people”, the Youth Leader pointed out.
He said after Ishaku Komo’s selection, he was presented before the entire Zaar people, both home and in diaspora as the Gung Zaar-select during the annual cultural festival popularly known as Lhm Zaar in 2010 with no objections from anybody.