Suspended Zamfara lawmakers allege threat to life, flee state

Eight members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly who were suspended from the House, on Sunday, claimed that they have been hounded out of the state by political thugs for exposing the increasing wave of insecurity in the state.

According to the lawmakers, some security agents had been sent to hunt for them without any reason, a situation which made them go into hiding.

Bashir Aliyu, who spoke on behalf of the suspended lawmakers at a press conference in Zaria, Kaduna State, on Sunday, said they would not be silenced until action is taken to tame the high level of insecurity in Zamfara.

According to him, when they moved to effect changes in the leadership of the assembly, it was to draw attention to the alleged prolonged absence of the Speaker and his deputy from the state.

He, however, said some forces in the state have since been hounding them instead of working to make the state safe.

Aliyu added that some of the suspended lawmakers were attacked by thugs linked to a politician in the state during the wedding of the Deputy Governor’s daughter on 24 February.

Read also: Zamfara gov, Lawal bans tinted glasses, unlabelled bread over insecurity

He said a letter with reference no. ZMHA/ADM/223/Vol. 1, dated March 7, has now directed them to return the official vehicles in their care to the Clerk of the state assembly within seven days.

Aliyu, who represents Gumi 1 constituency, said: “We want to notify all that democracy is in danger in Zamfara State despite the prevailing insecurity and other challenges bedeviling the people of the state.

“We hence call for the intervention of key stakeholders to salvage the situation.”

It will be recalled that on February 27, the eight lawmakers were suspended by the state assembly for allegedly holding an illegal plenary.

The eight suspended lawmakers are Bashir Aliyu (PDP-Gummi 1); Amiru Keta (PDP-Tsafe West); Nasiru Abdullahi (PDP-Maru South); Bashir Masama (PDP-Bukkuyum North); Faruku Dosara (APC-Maradun 1); Ibrahim Tukur (APC-Bakura Constituency); Shamsudeen Hassan (APC Talata-Mafara North) and Bashiru Sarkin-Zango (PDP-Bungudu West).

 

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