By Isiaka Mustapha
In total defiance of order of the authority, gunmen suspected to be bandits have ordered the resumption (Tuesday) market activities in Gangara village, against the order of Sokoto State Government of closure of all weekly markets closed by the state government, and additionally appointed their members to head some villages in the Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
According to our impeccable sources in Sokoto, the new terrorist villages were acting on the orders of a cruel bandit kingpin, Bello Turji
According to the report, Turji, had convened a meeting wherein he summoned Gangara villagers to a crucial meeting in Saturu village on Thursday to announce the deposition of the existing heads of the villages and posting of some of their members as the new traditional rulers.
Shortly after the meeting said to have been attended by Turji Commanders namely Dan Bakkwalo, Boka Tamiske, Hassan Dan Kwaro, Dogo and Jammu Baki, the villagers were said to have been forced to select Dan Bakkwalo as the new traditional head of Gangara village.
The new village head, shortly after assuming duties had read the riot act, that no police officer, military personnel or vigilante would henceforth be allowed in the village. He told his subjects that all disputes must be brought to him for adjudication.
The new ruler also ordered the villagers to contribute and pay the sum of N1.5 million tribute to him.
Bakkwalo ordered the immediate reopening of three Juma’at mosques and the resumption of weekly (Tuesday) market activities in Gangara village, against the order of Sokoto State Government of closure of all weekly markets.
Governor Aminu Tambuwal had recently announced the suspension of telecommunications networks and banned weekly markets and sale of petrol in jerry cans, among other drastic measures to check the activities of bandits in the state.
At Makwaruwa village, bandit commander, Boka Tamiske declared himself the new district head and summoned a meeting where he asked the ‘ousted’ district head, one Dan Sani, to tell the villagers by himself, who was now in charge.
The villagers were given an ultimatum to contribute the money or face the wrath of the gunmen.