The Bauchi State government has filed a fresh suit against the former Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara and 28 others before a Bauchi State High Court on 11 count criminal charges.
This followed the alleged killings and destruction of properties that marred the 21st memorial anniversary of Baba Peter Gonto, the leader and crusader of the Sayawa nation held in Bogoro.
According to the charge sheet prepared by Hassan U. El-Yakub (SAN), leading Counsel to Bauchi State Government, Dogara alongside the 28 others were accused of conspiring to cause bodily harm to people in the area in order to frustrate the progress of the memorial anniversary.
The eleven count reads in part: “Pursuant to Sections 98 (1) & (2), 100 (b) and 103 (b) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Bauchi State, 2018. Count One: That you, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, the male of Maitama, Abuja-FCT, Air Commodore Ishaku Komo (Rtd), male of Kaduna-Abuja Road, Kaduna, Kaduna State, Rev. Markus Musa, male of Tafawa Balewa Town, Peter Emmanuel, the male of Tafawa Balewa Town, Ga’Allah Daniel, male of Tafawa Balewa Town, Iliya Emmanuel, male of Tafawa Balewa Town”
That, “On or about the 29th, 30 and/or 31st day of December 2021 agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit: you conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to incite the Youths of Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Towns to disturb public peace by burning people’s houses, blocking access roads, physically attacking invited guests and other participants attending the 21″Year Memorial Anniversary and Book Launch of Late Baba Peter Gonto at Bogoro Town a destroy and burn all facilities provided for the occasion, there by committe offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Bauchi State”.
That, “On or about the 29th, 30th and/or 31st day of December, 2021 agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit: you conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to commit the offence Mischief by Fire by burning people’s houses in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro To during the 21″Year Memorial Anniversary and Book Launch of Late Baba Peter Gonto at Bogoro Town and to destroy and burn all facilities provided for the occasion, thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of the penal code law of Bauchi state”.
“On or about the 29,30th and/or 31st day of December, 2021 agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit: you conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to commit the offence of Culpable Homicide during the Year Memorial Anniversary and Book Launch of Late Baba Peter Gonto at Bo Town and that you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Bauchi State”, Yakubu Dogara and others were also accused.
No date has been fixed for the commencement of the case but court processes are being served as indicated by the charging sheet.
It would recalled that the police gave the name of 10 people whose houses were allegedly burnt in the violence, but the statement was silent on the number of deaths, even as the Commissioner of Police set up a committee to investigate the incident.
It was reported that the Emirs of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu and Dass, Alh Usman Bilyaminu Othman were attacked leading to the damage of cars in the two convoys including the official vehicle of the Emir of Dass.
Before the date of the event, Dogara had allegedly written a letter to the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of State Security Services, warning that there was impending security threat if the 21st remembrance anniversary of Baba Gonto was allowed to hold.
The development that led to accusation and counter-accusations among prominent Sayawa people, while other groups of Sayawa opposed the memorial event.
