The Zamfara State Government has deposed the of Emirs of Zurmi and Dansadau, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and Alhaji Hussain Umar Dansadau, respectively, for alleged involvement in banditry activities in the state.

The Zamfara State  Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara,  disclosed this to newsmen yesterday as part of the resolutions of the state executive council meeting, held in Government House, Gusau.

The state executive council meeting was chaired by the Zamfara State Acting Governor, Senator Hassan Nasiha.

According to the commissioner, the two Emirs were deposed based on recommendation of the investigative committee, set up by the state government to ascertain the level of their involvement in banditry cases in the state.

He, further said the two Emirs would be banished from their domain.

The information commissioner mentioned that the District Head of Birnin Tsaba, Suleiman Ibrahim, has also been removed over similar offences.

According to Dosara, all land allocations done during the reigns of the two Emirs no longer valid as they are now revoked.

He said the Ministry of Justice and Office of the Secretary to the State Government have been directed to ensure total compliance in carrying out the directives.

The government had set up two committees to investigate and provide recommendations on how to tackle the insecurity in the state.

The Head of one of the committees, Mamman Tsafe, who is the state’s Commissioner for Security Affairs, formally presented the report to Zamfara State Deputy Governor Hassan Nasiha.

 Tsafe said the committees had carefully complied with the laid down terms and references enshrined by the state government during the inauguration of the committees.

“The committees exhausted all avenues of the probe before submitting their recommendations. The accused monarchs were also invited by the committees to defend themselves against the allegations against them,” Mr Tsafe had told the deputy governor.

In his response, the deputy governor,  Nasiha, thanked members of the committee for their commitment to putting up the reports and assured them that the state government will do what is needed to implement the reports of the two committees.

The news of the sack of the emirs came weeks after the governor came under criticism for distributing 260 luxury cars including 17 Cadillac escalades to the traditional rulers.

In 2021, the   government had suspended two Emirs who were accused of frustrating efforts to arrest suspected bandits and aiding cattle rustlers.

Zamfara, like other areas in Nigeria’s North-west region. Has remained under serious attacks by  bandits who attack mostly rural communities and travellers.