Sokoto decalare curfew after protest over killing of the District Head of Gatawa, Isa Muhammad Bawa

In the wake of the protest by youths that has greeted the killing of the District Head of Gatawa, Isa Muhammad Bawa, the police have announced the imposition of a curfew at the Sabon Birni town in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The Sokoto State government imposed a curfew in the location to deter residents from breaking the law.

The Spokesperson of the police in the state, ASP Ahmed Rufa’i, explained that with the composition of the curfew there will be no movement in the area from 6 am and 6 pm until further notice. He noted that the measures were taken to restore law and order to the affected local government.

Some youths in the local government on Thursday folded the streets to protest the abduction and killing of the community leader. During the protest, the youth took over the local government Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a courtroom in the local government.

The youths also broke into a store owned by the local government, where they destroyed and took away some fertilizers.

One of the sons of the killed District Head, Turakin Gobir, told reporters that the security agencies have deployed more men to the area, which has calmed the tension in the area. He noted that gunshots had been heard in the community since the morning of Thursday. He also noted that at 8 pm, the protesters were still on the streets, which indicated that the curfew was not effective in the community.

The youths in the community had told the government to conduct a thorough investigation into the killing of the district, with the criminals brought to justice immediately.

Aminu Yusuf, who joined the protesters on the road, called on the government to investigate the killing of the village head, which he referred to as brutal. He noted that there were already speculations in the community that some of the politicians in the community had instigated the killing of the monarch.

Kabiru Isa, one of the sons of the district head who was abducted and realised earlier in a video clip, had accused the member of the House of Assembly of instigating the murder of the village king.

A funeral prayer was held in the honour of the murdered District Head of Gatawa in Sokoto State, Isa Muhammad Bawa, in absentia by thousands of mourners on Thursday. The funeral prayers were led by the Chief Imam of Sabon Birni, Imam Dahiru.

In a statement released from the state house, President Bola Tinubu condemned the incident, which led to the killing of the highly respected monarch in the state. The statement, which was signed by Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, stated that the government would not let the incident go without a concrete response from the government.

The statement further extended the president’s condolences to the families of the affected monarch, the Gobir Emirate, and the government of Sokoto State.

Also, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajuddeen, in a separate statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, on Thursday, stated that the monarch’s treatment is condemnable and barbaric.

The governor of the state urged the family to be consoled despite the brutal killing of the monarch; the governor stated that the act was unfortunate and condemnable.

The governor who eulogised the late monarch described him as upright, honest, and a peace-loving personality who dedicated his life to serving the people in the community in any human way possible.

The Senator representing Sokoto-North and the leader of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, equally described the killing of the king as a shocking incident which should be investigated and the offender punished equally.

Also, the senator representing Sokoto South Senatorial District had confirmed the killing of the monarch as he urged the family to be consoled despite his death.