Suspended Zamfara lawmakers flee state, allege threat to life

 

The eight lawmakers suspended by the Zamfara State House of Assembly, on Sunday, said they had been hounded out of the state by political thugs for exposing the increasing wave of insecurity in the state.

They also said the House had written to them to return their official vehicles to the Clerk.

The PUNCH reports that Zamfara State House of Assembly on  27 February suspended eight lawmakers for allegedly holding an illegal plenary.

The eight suspended lawmakers are Bashir Aliyu (PDP-Gummi 1); Amiru Keta (PDP-Tsafe West); Nasiru Abdullahi (PDP-Maru South); Bashir Masama (PDP-Bukkuyum North); Faruku Dosara (APC-Maradun 1); Ibrahim Tukur (APC-Bakura Constituency); Shamsudeen Hassan (APC Talata-Mafara North) and Bashiru Sarkin-Zango (PDP-Bungudu West).

While addressing a press conference in Zaria, Kaduna State on Sunday, the lawmakers alleged that some security agents had been sent to hunt them without any reason, a situation which made them go into hiding.

Bashir Aliyu, who spoke on behalf of the suspended lawmakers, said they would not be silenced until action was taken to tame the high level of insecurity in Zamfara.

He said when they moved to effect changes in the leadership of the Assembly, it was to draw attention to the alleged prolonged absence of the Speaker and his deputy from the state.

He, however, said some forces in the state had since been hounding them instead of working to make the state safe.

He added that some of the suspended lawmakers were attacked by thugs linked to a politician in the state during the wedding of the Deputy Governor’s daughter on 24 February.

He said a letter with Reference No. ZMHA/ADM/223/Vol. 1, dated March 7, has now directed them to return the official vehicles in their care to the Clerk of the state Assembly within seven days.

Aliyu, representing the Gumi 1 constituency, said, “We want to notify you that democracy is in danger in Zamfara  State despite the prevailing insecurity and other challenges bedeviling the people of the state.

“We, hence,  call for the intervention of key stakeholders to salvage the situation.”