Zamfara govt files criminal charges  against  8 suspended  lawmakers in court 

By IBRAHIM KANOMA, Gusau

The Zamfara State Government has dragged eight suspended members of the State House of Assembly to Magistrate Court in Gusau, the state capital.

The eight lawmakers appeared Thursday following a summon of the court.

Office of the Zamfara State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice had filed a case against the eight suspended  House members on direct criminal complaint brought  pursuant to section 122(A) and 123(1)(C) of Zamfara State Administration of Criminal Justice law 2023.

The charges read in part says, “That on or about the 22nd day of February, 2024 at about 14:00hrs at the Zamfara state House of Assembly premises/complex you Hon Nasiru Abdullahi, M’ Hon. Bashir Aliyu Gummi ‘M’, Hon. Basiru Bello Bungudu M’, Hon. Amiru Ahmad Keta M’, Hon. Ibrahim T. Tukur ‘M’, Hon. Faruk Musa Dosara “M’, Hon. Bashiru, Abubakar ‘M’ and Hon. Shamsudeen Hassan ‘M’ unlawfully assembled yourselves and convened an illegal session which was widely reported by media houses, audio and video clips, went viral on social media and made false allegation against the Zamfara State Executive Arm of Government and purportedly closed down the legitimate business of the State House of Assembly.”

During the court sitting, counsel to the defendants, Ibrahim Ali, argued and raised an objection on the competent of the complainant to file the case and urged the court not to entertain same.

In his response, representative of the Attorney General, Abdul Ahmad, said that the lawmakers should have notified the court their objection in writing earlier before the court sitting not verbally.

In her remarks, Judge of the Magistrate Court, Justice Rukubatu Aliyu, adjourned the sitting to 30th of May 2024 to allow both parties settle for hearing.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that misunderstanding allegedly started with some members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly when they sat in House chamber and deliberated over the worsening security situation across the state.

The concerned members in recent interview disclosed that the situation of insecurity bedeviling every angle of the state have forced them to sit and deliberate the way forward, in order to curtail the menace.

They alleged that the sitting did not go down well with some members who were absent during the deliberations.

According to Our Report, as a result of the sitting which deliberated on insecurity at a plenary not attended by all members, those absent at the meeting allegedly connived to register their non-support to the decision reached by their colleagues to solve the security problem in the state.