Kaduna govt prosecutes kingmaker over Emir of Zazzau selection process

 

Kaduna State Government has filed a criminal complaint against Wazirin Zazzau, Ibrahim Aminu, for alleged forgery and violation of Official Secret Act during the selection process of a new emir.

Aminu, Chairman of Zazzau Kingmakers Committee, will appear before a Chief Magistrate’s Court 1, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, on February 15.

Last September, the kingmakers voted and submitted three names to the government as potential Emir of Zazzau.

Aside Wazirin, other kingmakers are Muhammad Aliyu (Limamin Kona), Umar Muhammad (Fagacin Zazzau), Muhammad Abbas (Makama Ƙarami) and Dalhatu Ƙasimu (Limamin Juma’a).

The princes shortlisted were 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 process and announced Ahmed Bamalli as the Emir after weeks of deferment.

The Iyan challenged El-Rufai’s action in court until his demise in January.

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”.

The El-Rufai administration is furious that the true outcome of the selection process was leaked to the media.

Ibrahim Aminu is 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 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 read.

It is believed that a former emirate official, Aminu Yakubu Wambai, resigned in protest of El-Rufai’s selection of Bamalli.,

Wambai held the position of Wakilin Raya Kasar Zazzau for 19 years.