The Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Farouk Bahago, has put on hold the forthcoming Eid el-Kabir durbar in his emirate to identify/ commiserate with the victims of bandits attacks and those still held in captivity.
Bosso, Shiroro, Paikoro, and Munya local government areas of Niger State which constitute parts of Minna Emirate have been witnessing attacks by bandits, with the latest being on Kaffin-Koro and adjoining communities in Paikoro LGA, where dozens of farmers abducted since March are still being held captive.
The Kimiyan Minna, Alhaji Yusuf Tanko Kuta, stated this on a Prestige early morning FM Radio Programme “Tsalle Daya”, that the emirate had concluded arrangements to hold the annual Sallah durbar when the Emir ordered for its suspension, adding that dozens of his subjects in rural areas that were abducted by the hoodlums were still in captivity.
Kuta explained that , “you would recall that some months ago gunmen suspected to be armed bandits unleashed terror on Kaffin-Koro and adjoining communities in Paikoro local government area of the state, during which several persons including women, children and farmers were kidnapped. As we speak, those that were kidnapped are still in captivity; they have not been rescued nor released to go home.
“And recently, the abductors released a video which went viral in which the world saw how those innocent persons were being maltreated and dehumanised. So, the Emir feels the pain even though people complained that the emirate council had not held Sallah durbar for several years now. But as a leader with a good heart , His Royal Highness feels it won’t be good of him holding durbar when poor farmers and their families from his domain are being held captive for months by the insurgent groups .”
He stated further that the Emir was being briefed regularly by village heads, and district heads on the security situation in the banditry-invested communities in his emirate which were all put into consideration before the durbar was suspended.
When contacted by Tribune Online, the spokesperson of Minna Metro Security Watch, a security outfit formed by the Emir of Minna to support the Military and other security agencies in the fight against security challenges in the emirate, Musa Adamu Maikudi Achaza (Hadimi Minna), said the emir had lived with the pains of how his subjects /people had been violently attacked regularly by bandits.
He said some of the victims who were still in captivity while some had been killed were among the emir’s traditional soldiers who took care of the horses used for the durbar.
He stressed, “you can imagine the Emir going on to hold the Sallah durbar when these people from the rural communities who are always Integra part of his Sallah durbar are now captives while some have even been murdered in cold blood. It would amount to the Royal Father celebrating on their graves.
“The public should understand what the emir feels ” Musa Adamu Maikudi maintained
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