New Ombatse: Maku accuses Al-Makura of plot to indict him

THE national secretary of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and former gubernatorial candidate of the party in the 2015 general election in Nasarawa State, Mr Labaran Maku, has raised the alarm over plots by the state governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, to indict him over the emergence of the new Ombatse cult group in the state.

Maku, who raised the alarm in a press statement signed and made available to newsmen through electronic mail, alleged that Governor Al-Makura was determined to malign his reputation over  his (Maku’s) recent criticism of his government.

“On Wednesday, August 3, 2016, Governor Al-Makura invited traditional rulers to a meeting and made me the topic of discussion, accusing me of sponsoring crisis in the state.

“Shortly after, a member of the House of Assembly, moved a motion on the floor of the House, alleging the emergence of a new Ombatse group with alleged plans to attack some communities in the state.

“Subsequently, there have been rumours that some Eggon youths are to be arrested and used to accuse me of being the sponsor of a new Ombatse group,” Maku said.

According to the former information minister, the police commissioner in the state had summoned him for interrogation over his role regarding the emergence of the new cult group that had hatched a plan  to attack Asakio, on Saturday, August 13.

He explained that “at the command’s headquarters in Lafia, I was informed that I was invited in order to respond to some information of an alleged fresh plot by a new Ombatse. I was asked if I was aware of the plans by the new Ombatse group and I made it clear that I had no knowledge of either a new Ombatse group or plans by them to cause violence anywhere in the state.”

“That I am Eggon is not a reason for anyone to set me up because I speak out about the crisis of governance in my state,” he said.

When contacted over his response to the accusations, the special assistant to the governor on media and publicity, Ahmed Tukur, urged Maku to face his issues with the security and stop looking for public sympathy.

He said the police drilled Maku for four hours, and that they are constitutionally permitted to act in that order. He added that the issue of the re-emergence of the Ombatse cult group was raised by Maku’s representative at the state House of Assembly.