ZAYODA demands immediate release of Gungzaar-select from detention
By Adamu Audu
The Government of Bauchi state has been urged to release Gungzaar -select, Retired Air Commodore Ishaku Komo who has been in detention at the Bauchi Correctional facility since December 18 last year.
The National Leader of the Zaar Youth Development Association (ZAYODA), Comrade Ga’Allah Daniel made the call while speaking on Tuesday at the occasion of the 2024 Zaar Youth Day at Watal hotel in Tafawa Balewa local government area of Bauchi state.
According to him, Retired Air Commodore Ishaku Komo who was unanimously selected by Zaar Stakeholders in line with the tradition of Zaar people has been holding the revered position in waiting for about fourteen years.
Ga’Allah who described the action of the Bauchi state government as not favorable to Zaar people, noted that, as peace loving citizens of the state, Zaar people deserve a substantive Gungzaar to pilot the affairs of the already created chiefdom.
“I stand before you today with a heavy heart over the recent unsettling events. Our revered leader, Air Commodore Ishaku Komo (Rtd), the Gung Zaar-select of Zaar Chiefdom, who could have graced this occasion as the Royal Father is currently on detention in Bauchi”, Comrade Ga’Allah Daniel announced.
“We call on the Governor to meticulously address the current situation, employ his inherent wisdom, secure the release of our Gungzaar-select as a prisoner of Conscience and complete the process of actualizing our chiefdom, respecting the aspiration of the Zaar people”, the youth leader stressed.
He said that the Zaar Youth Day was set aside to unite the youths and to make appraisal of their achievements, challenges and the path forward for the betterment of the Zaar land.
According to Ga’Allah, the struggle for Zaar/Sayawa Chiefdom which spanned over five decades has been facing challenges arising from conflict of interests with the state government and the Bauchi emirate council.
Ga’Allah regretted that Gungzaar-select, a revered leader and guardian of Zaar cultural heritage is facing political blackmail as well as being incarcerated for the second time relating to 15 April, 2023 crisis in Sang Community of Bogoro LGA.
The youth leader said the inability of the Bauchi state government to actualize Zaar Chiefdom raises serious concerns on the selective, biased and sentiment within the state, adding that the circumstances surrounding the issue and its processes create a suspicion of forces working against the progress of zaar people.
He informed that a recent internal survey conducted by the International Society of Zaar Intellectuals (ISOZI) revealed that 84 percent of Zaar people are in support for Air Commodore Ishaku Komo (Rtd) as Gungzaar select.
Comrade Ga’Allah who noted that Gungzaar throne is not open for contention, said that the selection of Retired Air Commodore Ishaku Komo as Gungzaar-select was unanimously made in 2009.
“We are now awaiting the endorsement of his selection by the governor along with the presentation of a staff of office. We trust the governor will not impose a decision contrary to the will of the people, despite the presence of saboteurs aiming to hinder our progress”, Comrade Ga’Allah pointed out.
