Kaduna govt files criminal suit against kingmaker over alleged forgery, violation of official secret

The Kaduna State government has filed a criminal suit against a kingmaker Wazirin Zazzau, Ibrahim Aminu, for alleged forgery and violation of the Official Secret Act.

Ibrahim Aminu will appear before a Chief Magistrate’s Court 1, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, on February 15 for revealing the selection process of a new Emir after weeks of deferment.

Reports say two other kingmakers including Aminu voted and submitted three names to the government as potential Emir of Zazzau including Bashir Aminu (Iyan Zazzau – 3 votes), Aminu Shehu Idris (Turakin Zazzau – 1 vote) and Muhammadu Munir Ja’afaru (Yariman Zazzau – 1 vote).

However, Governor Nasir El-Rufai jettisoned the selection process and privately announced Ahmed Bamalli as the Emir.

Now, the state government has directed the Registrar of the Chief Magistrate Court to cause a criminal case against the Wazirin for allegedly releasing the outcome of their decision to “unauthorized persons”.

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In the suit, Aminu was accused of using false documents as genuine and forging public seal with the intent to commit forgery and violation of Official Secret Act under Section 346, 343, 347, 348 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State 2017 and under the official Secret Act.

The suit against Aminu reads thus in full; “The Defendant (Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad Aminu) is the Wazirin Zazzau and the Chairman of Zazzau King Makers Committee and in such capacity had actively participated and as the chairman of the selection process of the new Emir of Zazzau held on the 24th day of September, 2020 and in that capacity released information regarding the proceedings of the selection exercise to unauthorized persons in complete violation of the Official Secret Act.

“The Defendant in his capacity as the chairman Zazzau king makers’ committee also got access to copies of letters addressed to the Commissioner for Local Government, affixed his signature on it confirming the document as a certified true copy (CTC) thereby making a false document and Forgery of a Public Seal and thereafter handed the documents to unauthorized persons,” the complaint added.

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