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By Tony Udemba
The Arewa Council of Chiefs in Lagos State, has passed a vote-of- confidence on its Chairman and Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos State, Alhaji Aminu Idris Yaro, even as the group called for his immediate release from the detention of the DSS. Speaking at a well attended International Press Conference, held at his palace in Oworonshoki area of Lagos recently, the Onu – Igala Lagos, Chief Sani Yakubu Ejima declared that despite the Sarkin’s detention by the DSS, the entire leadership of the Arewa community in Lagos were solidly behind him. According to him, ” Alhaji Aminu Idris Yaro, Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos and Chairman, Arewa Council of Chiefs in Lagos State, still remains our authentic leader in Lagos State. Any other person or persons, parading himself as a leader, is fake and not known to the council and the entire Arewa community”.
Addressing the media on behalf of the Arewa Council of Chiefs, Lagos, Onu- Igala, described the embattled Sarkin as a patriotic Nigerian, a law-abiding citizen and a responsible businessman, who does not hold any public office, and wondered why his prolong detention. While calling for the DSS to uphold his Fundamental human rights, grant him unhindered access to his family and medical doctors, he passionately appealed to the State security services to be professional in their investigations release him or take him to a court of competent jurisdiction, instead of unlawfully holding him in detention.
He called for the intervention of President Bola Ahmed, noting the huge financial and material resources freely deployed by Aminu Yaro in mobilizing the Arewa community towards his victory at the February presidential elections.
Ejima, who is also the Secretary, Board-of-Trustees (BOT), Arewa Council of Chiefs, Lagos, stated that though Alhaji Yaro was being detained by the Department of State Services (DSS), but that was not enough justification for anyone to think that the stool of Sarkin Hausawa and Chairman of Arewa Council of Chiefs in Lagos State was vacant, noting that he was only invited for investigation and remains innocent by law until declared guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
A reliable source who doesn’t want his name to disclosed, informed Daily Sun that since the detention of Alhaji Aminu Yaro by DSS some elements within the Arewa community, were alleged to have unsuccessfully exploited the situation to announce the emergence of a new Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos and Chairman of the Arewa Council of Chiefs recently, but the Arewa National Council Lagos State Branch kicked against it.
Speaking further, Ejima stated that , ” Alhaji Aminu Idris Yaro, remains the only Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos, and Chairman, Arewa Council of Chiefs in Lagos, known to all the Emirs and traditional leaders in the 19 Northern States, and the Lagos State. Anyone trying to stop justice in the case of Yaro, who was only invited in connection with the on – going investigations of the suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, is not doing the nation any good, and such attempt must stop”.
He declared that the purported claimant to his stool as Sarkin Hausawa and chairman of all the Arewa people in the state was not connected to them.
The press address which was signed by the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos and Vice Chairman, Arewa Council of Chiefs in Lagos State, HRH Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Bambado II, the Onu Igala and Secretary to the BOT, used the opportunity to reaffirm the full support of members of the council of Chiefs and entire Arewa community in Lagos, to the embattled Sarkin.
According to him, ” it is worrisome that HRH Alhaji Aminu Yaro has been kept in detention for more than tolerable, but he remains the Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos and Chairman Arewa Council of Chiefs in Lagos State.
Though, we cannot stop the government and the DSS from carrying out their investigations on what he was invited for, we sincerely call on them to do their investigations in a professional manner and ensure that at the end of the day, if they find nothing, they should release our Sarkin to us in obedience to the law of the land”.
He reiterated on the unity and peaceful conduct of Arewa people resident in Lagos, and their solid support for the embattled Sarkin Alhaji Yaro, saying, “only Allah appoints a leader and crowns a king, anybody who has found himself in position should always remember the maker of his ascension to position will always call him to account”.
The Onu Igala warned those plotting to exploit the present predicament of the Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos and Chairman of the Arewa Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Aminu Yaro, to desist from that, just as he vowed that such persons would not be allowed to succeed.
Speaking further, he called on the government and security agencies to clamp down and investigate those behind the illegal declarations on behalf of the Arewa Council of Chiefs, Lagos State, noting that ” Arewa people in Lagos are peaceful, economically viable and law-abiding, and we don’t want a situation where some some bad eggs will use the name of the group to foment trouble in the state”.
He affirmed that the current leadership of the Arewa community in Lagos State was the authentic one recognized by the government, leadership of Lagos State and the royal fathers in their respective home states.
“We do not take what does not belong to us because we know that for everything or wealth we amass, we will be held accountable for it by Allah”.
He warned that , “We cannot be bought over by anybody. We are representatives of our people and traditional rulers of our home states of Northern Nigeria here in Lagos State, and to anyone who wants to foment any trouble, we are not going to take it lightly.”
He further made a passionate call on President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, reminding them of their fervent support to them during the elections, saying, “we have always been with you and we delivered totally for you. Now is time for you to do your part, by ensuring that no one under your leaderships will suffer injustice”.
Others who spoke at the press conference included Sultan Shuarab in Lagos State, Alhaji Umar Muhammed Burumba, who said: “We do not say DSS should not do their work but we cannot allow anybody to come and use false information to divide us. We are united as one Arewa community in Lagos State.
” Our Sarki is a businessman. He was invited not arrested by DSS and he honoured their invitation. What we want from DSS is that, they should do their investigation and when they do not find anything against him, and we know they cannot find anything against him, they should obey the law by releasing him to go home.
“This is a businessman, who is doing his business and has not run to anywhere. How many ministers of the past have run away and how many others have done same? We are backing our Sarki Hausawa of Lagos State because we know that he is not a thief.”
Representative of Shehu of Bornu, Zanna Baba Husaini, dismissed all allegations against Yaro as propaganda without any truth.
Speaking earlier about the history of Arewa people in Lagos State, the Galadima of Lagos, Alhaji Aliyu Bambado, said: “We are large, most of us are just knowing ourselves. In the aspect of Fulani, we are together with the Hausa in Lagos State and it has been like that since 1864. We must come together and that says a lot about ourselves so other people will know who we are.
“The Arewa community in Lagos is one because all the people here are the Ambassadors of their respective people and so we have made contributions to Lagos and anybody who tries to make trouble with us should not be allowed,” he said.
