Aminu Yaro remains our leader, Arewa Council of Chiefs in Lagos declares

*Says we do not disturb DSS’ investigation but it should be professional and obey court

*No one should use false information to divide us, Yaro is Sarki Hausawa, Arewa leader in Lagos – Onu Igala, others

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

The Arewa Community in Lagos State, led by its Council of Chiefs, said Thursday that “all of us are solidly behind His Royal Highness Alhaji Aminu  Idris Yaro as our Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos and Chairman, Arewa Council of Chiefs in Lagos State”.

They declared any other claimant to the throne and position as illegal and unknown to traditional rulers of their respective bases across the 19 states of Northern Nigeria, while also calling on government and security agencies to do the needful to check any such impersonator and his sponsors.

They said the fact that Alhaji Yaro currently has a predicament that has kept him with the Department of State Services for many days now was not a justification for anyone to think that the stool of Sarkin Hausawa and Chairman of Arewa Council of Chiefs in Lagos State are vacant as he was only invited for investigation and remains innocent by law until declared guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The DEFENDER reports that Alhaji Aminu Yaro’s predicament with the DSS had been exploited by some elements within, who allegedly announced emergence of a new Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos and Chairman of the Arewa Council of Chiefs recently, over which the Arewa National Council Lagos State Branch spat into the air saying never in a country that has ‘kings and chiefs’ and operates a competent law like the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It said anyone trying to stop justice in the case of Yaro, who was only invited in connection, allegedly, to investigation of suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, is not doing the nation any good and called that such attempt must stop as Arewa Community in Lagos State has no other leader known to all the Emirates across their 19 Northern states and authorities in their host state of Lagos than His Royal Highness Alhaji Aminu Idris Yaro, adding that the purported claimant to his stool as Sarkin Hausawa and chairman of all the Arewa people in the state is not connected to them.

On Thursday July 27, 2023, the sitting Arewa Council of Chiefs and top members of the Northern community in Lagos State gathered in an emergency meeting that was followed with an International Press Conference, held at the Oworonsoki Palace of Onu Igala and Secretary Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Council, HRH Sani Yakubu Ejima, to register their resolve, not only to disown the illegal claimant to the throne of their embattled leader but also tell the world that the only Sarkin Hausawa and Chairman Arewa Council of Chiefs in Lagos State today and until Allah continues to keep his life safe is Alhaji Aminu Yaro.

In the press conference address signed by Sarkin Fulani of Lagos and Vice Chairman, Arewa Council of Cihefs in Lagos State, HRH Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Bambado II, the Onu Igala read out the resolution of the emergency of the Council.

He said the Council rising from the emergency meeting reached the resolution that HRH Alhaji Aminu Idris Yaro is and remains the Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos and Chairman Arewa Coucil of Chiefs in Lagos State, that it did not stop the government and security agency from carrying out their investigations on what he was invited for, although he has been kept for more than tolerable, but that they should do their investigation in a professional manner and ensure that at the end of the day, if they find nothing, they should release their Sarki to them in obedience to the law of the land.

The Onu Igala, who emphasized the unity and resoluteness of all Arewa people in Lagos behind Alhaji Yaro, had started off on a point of reflection saying as a leader, “one has to know that since 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” and warned people who wanted to exploit the present predicament of the Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos and Chairman of the Arewa Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Aminu Yaro, to desist while also vowing that they would not be allowed to succeed.

He challenged the what he called “the illegal declaration on behalf of Arewa Council of Chiefs” and called on security agencies and government to clampdown on perpetrators of such shameful act and all their sponsors as deterrent to others for the peace of the land as, he said as peace loving and very highly economic viable people, the Arewa people do not want a situation where some bad eggs will under their group to foment trouble.

He affirmed that the current leadership of the Arewa community in Lagos State is the authentic one as recognized by the government, leadership of Lagos State and royal fathers in their respective home states.

Speaking outside of the paper in his hand, the Onu Igala described the Arewa people are known for honesty and fear of God and that, “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”.

For this reason he said, “We cannot 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 for anyone who to foment any trouble, we are not going to take it lightly.”

About Alhaji Aminu Idris Yaro, the Onu Igala recalled the support he gave to the Tinubu/Shettima campaign organisation saying when the stage was created for the support of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima visited, Alhaji Idris Yaro said “We did not need anybody’s money to work for election success of Tinubu. He was physically involved and took part among those that funded it, with his money. What more do you need of a leader?”

He called on President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu telling both that, “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 their leadership will suffer injustice.

He thanked the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos, HRH Alhaji Bambado II for signing the international press conference address.

Others who spoke at the press conference included representative of Shehu of Borno and 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.”

He said, “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.”

Zanna Baba Husaini, another leader, dismissed all allegations against Yaro as propaganda without ay truth. He said he is one of the founders of TSG – Tinubu Shettima Group.

Sarki of (Northern) Christian Community in Lagos State, Chief David Adamu, said: “What has happened has happened but what we are to do is let ourselves know that we should pray for our brother and not to bring him down.”

Earlier in his comment about 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 and we are 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 must say 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.

Others who spoke at the event included the Onu Igala Ayobo/Ipaja and Public Relations Officer of Arewa Council of Chiefs in Lagos State, Chief Abubakar Enemona Agene.

Abubakar Agene said the press conference should be seen as an avenue for harmonization and enhancing the unity of Arewa people in Lagos State and thanked the leadership of the community for resolving to stand resolutely and continuously behind their leader, Alhaji Aminu Idris Yaro.