Commentators are calling for an investigation into the relationship between some governors and notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji after photos of the governors and a self-confessed associate of the bandit appeared on social media.
Pictured with Musa Kamarawa are Zamfara and Sokoto Governors Bello Matawalle and Aminu Tambuwal, and Sokoto Deputy Governor Mannir Dan Iyya.
Zamfara and Sokoto are two of the northwestern states under attack by bandits in which hundreds of people have been killed and thousands displaced.
according to a Nigeria Daily Report, Mr. Kamarawa was arrested in Abuja last year along with one Bashar Audu, a Nigerien who was caught with a shipment of Indian hemp that he was allegedly carrying to Mr. Turji and his men.
Mr. Kamarawa was arrested in September, but video of his interrogation by police surfaced online just a few weeks ago.
During the interrogation, Kamarawa said that he had known Turji for a long time.
“Turji is my close friend, we are always in contact and seek each other’s advice on our operations most of the time,” the suspect said.
He said the notorious bandit kingpin has more than 100 armed guards around him and named those who supply Turji with shoes, camouflage military uniforms, drugs and other materials.
Relations with Bafarawa
Checks made by PREMIUM TIMES in Sokoto revealed that Mr. Kamarawa is the nephew of a former governor of the state, Attahiru Bafarawa.
Bafarawa, who is a political kingmaker in Sokoto, has has been vocal in criticizing bandits and had urged the federal government to renew its strategy in the fight against insecurity.
Mr. Kamarawa’s mother is the older sister of the former governor.
Matawalle and Kamarawa
Mr. Kamarawa, who is from the Isa Local Government Area in Sokoto State, has extensive knowledge of the communities and forests in Sokoto East and Zamfara North, especially the villages bordering Shinkafi (in Zamfara) and Isa (in Sokoto).
Investigations by PREMIUM TIMES revealed that Mr. Kamarawa was one of the first contacted by Mr. Matawalle after he was declared Governor in 2019, to facilitate a peace deal with the bandits.
A source at Zamfara Government House, who is also a special adviser to the governor, said that Mr. Kamarawa was referred to the governor when the peace agreement was initiated.
“Although Bello Turji did not accept the peace agreement, there were many bandits who handed over their weapons and ammunition through Musa (Mr. Kamarawa).
“We didn’t know that he was interested in them and that he was working for them because he was always advising us to extend our peace talks. You can attest that there were several weapons and bandits here (Gusau) and we witnessed peace for a while,” said the official who asked not to be identified because he did not have permission to speak to journalists.
However, it was unable to confirm whether a letter circulating on social media notifying Mr. Kamarawa of his appointment as special assistant to the governor is real or fake.
“I can’t confirm. But like you, I also saw the letter. Assuming that’s true, does that invalidate the efforts he made to bring the bandits who accepted the peace deal to the table? Even if it’s true, Matawalle did it with good intentions,” he said.
PREMIUM TIMES also concluded that it was Mr. Kamarawa who received Mr. Turji’s father from security agents and handed him over to the outlaw in July, when the bandit kingpin kidnapped 50 residents in retaliation for his father’s arrest. by the police.
In an audio recording heard by this reporter last year, Mr. Turji told the assistant governor: “I promise that if Musa (Mr. Kamarawa) can take my father to the riverbank, let him call me. and hand me over to my father.” , Wallahi I will release all the people in my camp. What would I even do with them?
Kamarawa took Turji’s father to the riverbank and handed over the captives to him, this newspaper learned.
Reaction
A senior lecturer at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, who is from Shinkafi in Zamfara, Tijjani Salihu, said the footage shows Kamarawa is not a “normal criminal”.
“We have raised our concerns regarding banditry in the Northwest. It is clearly showing that the very famous young man, Musa Kamarawa, is well connected in his business. I request the relevant security agencies to question him further and arrest anyone associated with him in his business, no matter how high his position is,” Salihu said.
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A popular Islamic scholar in Sokoto state who has spoken out against banditry, Murtala Assada, said he was surprised that someone like Kamarawa is now under investigation.
He said that there are many influential people who support the bandits who at the same time enjoy the support of the government.
“I don’t know why people are afraid to release the full video clip. They should let him go and let whatever happens happen. If as it is said, why can’t Musa Kamarawa speak? Musa Kamarawa is a messenger from the city of Turjis to the real Turji; there are plenty of them out there and we know they exist.
“We will continue to pray for the security officers to be successful but we also want them to fear God and release everything he (Kamarawa) told them,” the cleric said in one of his sermons broadcast Monday morning.
Answers
In response to PREMIUM TIMES’ inquiry about the photo, Governor Matawalle’s spokeswoman, Zailani Bappa, said the fuss is unnecessary because the photos were taken during the peace deal with bandits.
“First, I think it’s not worth responding to the fuss, but it’s okay to respond. His Excellency spoke with the bandits with good intentions because he was disturbed by the incessant slaughter of innocents. The bandits were contacted for dialogue and responded. The bandits handed over weapons and ammunition. Not only the man in question, but many bandits and their collaborators were invited to discuss and most of them were seen by the public,” he said.
Bappa said that even another notorious bandit kingpin, Auwalun Daudawa, was part of the peace deal and had pictures taken of him.
“It doesn’t mean that Governor Matawalle had anything to do with Musa Kamarawa or any collaborator of the bandits because what he did was with the best of intentions and when he found out that they (the bandits) weren’t serious about it, he backed down. I am sure that you journalists can testify to the fact that we are no longer involved in the peace agreement,” he said.
For his part, Muhammadu Bello, Tambuwal’s press assistant, said there is no relationship between his director and Kamarawa.
“There is no relationship between them. The photo was taken at the Sokoto State Liaison Office in Asokoro, Abuja. Kamarawa could have visited him as many Sokoto Indians sometimes do at home, in Sokoto or elsewhere. However, I don’t know exactly when that photo was taken,” he said.