Governor Matawalle reinstates monarch suspended for turbaning bandits’ leader

Alh. Aliyu Garba Marafa has been reinstated as Emir of Birnin Yandoto by Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state.

The Emir was suspended by Matawalle in July 2022, after conferring a chieftaincy title on a bandit kingpin, Ado Aleiru, who he claimed played a huge role during a peace process arranged between the emirate and bandits who terrorized Tsafe Local Government Area (LGA).

Kabiru Balarabe Sardauna, Secretary to the State Government, announced the monarch’s reinstatement on Sunday, April 23.

Sardauna said Marafa’s reinstatement was based on the recommendations of the committee constituted to investigate the issue.

The statement partly read;

“The committee found no evidence of any ill motive or collaboration between the Emir and the bandit.

“This is to inform the public that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, MON, (Shatiman Sokoto), has approved the reinstatement of Alh. Aliyu Garba Marafa as the Emir of Birnin Yandoto.

“His reinstatement is based on the recommendations of the Committee constituted to investigate all issues pertaining to the conferment of a traditional title to a repentant bandit, Ado Aleiru. The committee found no evidence of any ill motive or collaboration between the Emir and the bandit.

“Based on the findings of the committee, the traditional title was conferred on the repentant bandit as part of peace building efforts between the repentant bandit and banditry-affected communities in Tsafe and Gusau Local Government Areas, which include Yandoto town. The reinstatement takes immediate effect.”