Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and 28 persons have been dragged to a Bauchi State High Court by the state government over the killing and destruction of properties following a botched celebration in the Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Areas of the state.
The crisis was allegedly triggered after the state government cancelled a ceremony to mark the 21st memorial anniversary of Baba Peter Gonto, a Sayawa nation crusader, the majority tribes of the two local councils.
Dogara had allegedly written a letter to the Director-General of State Security Services (SSS), and the Inspector General of Police, warning of an impending security threat if the anniversary of Baba Gonto was allowed to hold.
The action had triggered the anger of Sayawa youths who took to the streets in a protest which snowballed into violence with several people killed and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
However, on Friday, the state government slammed an 11-count charge against Dogara and the 28 other persons, accusing them of “conspiring to cause bodily harm on people in the area in order to frustrate the progress of the memorial anniversary.”
Parts of the 11-count charges against the lawmaker and his co-defendants seen by Ripples Nigeria reads:
“Pursuant to Sections 98 (1) & (2), 100 (b) and 103 (b) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Bauchi State, 2018.
“Count One: That you, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, male of Maitama, Abuja-FCT, Air Commodore Ishaku Komo (Rtd), male of Kaduna-Abuja Road, Kaduna, Kaduna State, Rev. Markus Musa, male of Tafawa Balewa Town, Peter Emmanuel, male of Tafawa Balewa Town, Ga’Allah Daniel, male of Tafawa Balewa Town, Iliya Emmanuel, male of Tafawa Balewa Town, and others did,
on or about the 29th, 30 and/or 31st day of December, 2021 agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit:
‘You conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to incite the youths of Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Towns to disturb public peace by burning people’s houses, blocking access roads, physically attacking invited guests and other participants attending the 21st Year Memorial Anniversary and Book Launch of Late Baba Peter Gonto at Bogoro Town.
That your actions led to the destruction and burning all facilities provided for the occasion, there by committing an offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Bauchi State.
“On or about the 29th, 30th and/or 31st day of December, 2021, you agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit:
“You conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to commit the offence ‘Mischief by Fire’ by burning people’s houses in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Town during the 21st Year Memorial Anniversary and Book Launch of Late Baba Pe Gonto at Bogoro Town and to destroy and burn all facilities provided for the occasion, thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of the penal code law of Bauchi state.
On or about the 29,30th and/or 31st day of December, 2021 agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit: you conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to commit the offence of Culpable Homicide during the Year Memorial Anniversary and Book Launch of Late Baba Peter Gonto at Bo Town and that you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Bauchi State.”
