The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has raised the alarm on the threat to his life and three others in his Bogoro /Dass /Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency of Bauchi State.
In a petition dated August 19, 2022 and addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, the former speaker demanded a thorough investigation into gun-running activities involving three persons – Insp. Dakat Samuel, Insp. Auwalu Mohammed and Barau Joel Amos (Sarkin Yaki) – in the area.
Dogara continued by saying that Amos had admitted to trying to buy firearms from the two policemen in order to kill him and three other people.
Babachir David Lawal, a former speaker and secretary to the government of the federation, waged a never-ending campaign against the All Progressives Congress (APC) after the party decided to run a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the general elections of 2023.
It is unknown, though, whether the purported threat to his life is related to his disapproval of the ruling party’s choice to nominate two Muslim candidates in the upcoming presidential election.
He wrote: “I wish to draw your attention to the above matter which is currently before the DCP, Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigeria Police, Bauchi State Command.
“I am sure you are seized of the matter by now since it involves looting of your armory in Bauchi by the very officers who are entrusted with the safe custody of your arms and a constituent of mine, Barau Joel Amos who sought to buy or has been buying assault rifles from the officers.
“I have been authoritatively informed that the said Barau Joel Amos has confessed that the reason he sought to buy the rifles is to kill me and three of my constituents, vis: Bar Istifanus Bala Gambar, Rev Markus Musa (CAN Chairman, T/Balewa) and Emmanuel (Chairman NL, T/Balewa).
“I find it worrisome that there has been no official advise from the police relating to this credible threat to our lives to enable us beef up security around us or just to be careful about our movements.”
“More so, there is a spike in cases of kidnappings and killings by unknown gunmen especially in Lere District of T/Balewa. A case in point was the attack at Boto town where some relations of a former Governor of the State were killed while some were abducted.”
