There were palpable fears across the Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Thursday as youths of the Gatawa community protested over the gruesome killing of their traditional ruler, Isa Muhammad Bawa, by suspected bandits.

The district head was reportedly killed, on Wednesday, before the ransom could reach the bandits.

The lawmaker representing Sabon Birni North LG in the state House of Assembly, Aminu Boza, confirmed the news of his death to our correspondent on Wednesday evening.

He said the team dispatched to deliver the ransom of N60 million and five motorcycles demanded by the bandits was told he was dead upon arrival.

“Yes, I can confirm to you that he is dead; they have killed him.

“Even those who went there to deliver the ransom couldn’t meet him alive; they only came back with his son, who was abducted together with him and we are on our way to the hospital now for treatment,” he added.

Meanwhile, shortly after a funeral prayer was held in his honour in Gatawa town on Thursday, some youths within the community immediately embarked on protest, singing anti-government songs.

They alleged that the state government did not do enough to ensure the monarch returned to his family safely.

They also point fingers at some political leaders, especially those from the local government, alleging that they purposely allowed the district head to suffer at the hands of the kidnappers before he was killed.

Meanwhile, when contacted about the protests, the spokesman of the Nigerian Force, Sokoto State command, ASP Ahmed Rufai, said the command is on top of the situation.

He said, “We have prepared ahead for this, as it was revealed through intelligence since morning when the funeral prayer was about to be conducted. The command dispatched a tactical team from about three to four local governments close to Sabon Birni to join the team in the local government.

“We are already taking control of the protests to ensure they don’t lead to a crisis.”

It will be recalled that the district head had, in a video released a few days before he was pronounced dead on Wednesday night, appealed to the state government, friends, and well-wishers to save him from being killed.

“In a 59-second video released by bandits, the 74-year-old monarch was appealing for his release from the hands of his abductors.

He said, “I want to call on my people, my lovers, my friends and my leader to know that it has come to an end today, Wednesday.

“So if they want to help me, they should do so. I swear to Allah, these people too are tired of us, they have done all they could, but the government did not help us.

“I have been appealing to the government to help me but they didn’t, and I am their worker, over the years, I have been working for the state government

“I am 74 years old today, and I have been working for the government for about 45 years now and it’s all about traditional institutions,” he had said.

Efforts to speak with the lawmaker representing the local government in the state house of assembly, Aminu Boza, were not successful as his number was not reachable at the time of filing this report. (The PUNCH)

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