SaharaReporters had reported on Monday that women and concerned residents of Za’ar had also protested against the incarceration of their paramount ruler, Gung Zaar, Air Commodore Ishaku Komo (retd.) in prison custody.
Hundreds of residents of Za'ar community in the Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, North East Nigeria on Thursday, stormed Tafawa Balewa town protesting the continued detention of their paramount ruler, Ishaku Komo in respect of an alleged communal clash.
SaharaReporters had reported on Monday that women and concerned residents of Za’ar had also protested against the incarceration of their paramount ruler, Gung Zaar, Air Commodore Ishaku Komo (retd.) in prison custody.
It had reported that Gung Zaar, was on Friday remanded in prison custody after the Nigeria Police Force secretly obtained an ex parte order from a court in the state to put him behind the bar over a communal crisis in his community.
Komo, a retired Air Commodore SaharaReporters reported was invited penultimate Wednesday at the Bauchi State Police Headquarters for questioning over a communal clash in Sang village in his chiefdom which emanated from the coronation of a Hamlet Head of Sang.
He was subsequently detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) until Friday, when the police secretly obtained a remand order from a court in the state.
The police in justifying the incarceration of the traditional ruler, stated that its preliminary investigation revealed that the communal clash in Sang village of Bogoro LGA emanated from the coronation of a hamlet head of Sang whom Komo, acting as Gumzaar of Sayawa Community, selected one Matthew Ishaya as the hamlet head of Sang village.
It alleged that it was because the traditional ruler selected Ishaya that "the irate youth from different factions protested against the coronation of the new Sayawa Hamlet chief.
This resulted in igniting the unhealthy and troublesome situation. It consequently resulted in the attack of innocent residents, as the irate youths set sixty-five (65) houses, three (3) motorcycles and other properties worth millions of Naira ablaze."
The police however accused the monarch for conspiracy and culpable homicide, over the crisis for having selected Mr Ishaya as the Hamlet Head of Sang village.
However, following his unjustifiable detention in prison custody, hundreds of residents of the community comprising –men, women and youths stormed Tafawa Balewa Town calling for his unconditional release, while describing his detention as politically motivated.
The protesting residents who were adorned in black and red attires carried placards with various inscriptions and green leaves matched through highways and major streets, singing songs. They shut down vehicular movement in and out of Balewa town and Bogoro.
According to the protesting resident, their monarch was innocent of all the charge police levelled against him.
"Those behind it should have it at the back of their mind that they will be banned from coming to Za'ar Land again till the release of our paramount ruler, Air Commodore Ishaku Komo Gungzaar, because no amount of security agents can make us afraid, no need to mention their names; they know themselves.
"For peace and justice, free Air Commodore Ishaku Komo Gungzaar before things get out of hand."