A District Head of Rijiya in Gusau Emirate, Zamfara State, Alhaji Umar Ibrahim Sarkin Rijiya is currently lying critically ill on hospital bed as a result of 'an arranged beating' alleged to have been initiated by four state lawmakers at the State House of Assembly complex last week Tuesday.

Ibrahim, 60, said that only prayers could save his life. He made the disclosure in an interview with Crime and Security, on his bed at the Intensive care unit of the Federal Medical Centre [FMC], Gusau.

Still groaning in pains, Ibrahim said he found it difficult to urinate and also maintained that he had a swollen stomach. He affirmed further that his urine was full of blood accompanied with lots of pains.

“What matters to me at this moment is my health, and not even the traditional rulership position. I am praying to Allah to grant me good health and I also want public spirited Nigerians to assist me with prayers for my survival,”he said in an emotion laden voice.

He said he was invited to the State House of Assembly last week Tuesday to answer questions on some allegations levelled against him by some residents of the Rijiya District. He affirmed that whether it was deliberate or not, four lawmakers led by Dayyabu Adamu Rijiya who is an indigene of Rijiya, drilled him with some unfrivolous allegations which he found funny and regarded a calculated attempt to tarnish his reputation.

The embattled District Head added that after the drilling session by the four legislators, he was asked to go, only for him to be accosted within the Assembly Complex by hoodlums which he alleged were hired by Dayyabu Adamu Rijiya and led by one Garba Mai-lena who started insulting his parents, shouting to his hearing that he will be deposed as District Head because he supported the People’s Democratic Party [PDP] during the last elections.

“I said government is for everybody and that all traditional rulers including the Emirs were always loyal to the government in power. I also said Garba Mai-lena you looked at me with my age as an elderly person and a traditional ruler and you insulted my parents but before I finished the statement, Garba Mai-lena landed a blow on my face which made me to fall on the ground. He was later assisted by his colleagues. They were saying don’t use any weapon on him so that there will be no sign of blood, just kick and blow him until he dies, that is all what I remembered only to find myself on this bed,” he said.

Sarkin Rijiya also alleged that before the attack on him,Dayyabu Adamu in company of the Rijiya Ward Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party [ANPP], Rufai Marake, had disposed part of the farm he inherited over 45 years ago, claiming that he was not entitled to the farm for supporting the previous state government.

“I swear to Allah, everyday, they send people to humiliate me and throw stones into my house and beat up my children. Dayyabu Adamu and Rufai Marake in company of many hooligans some days ago, they went to my farm on which I have been farming in the last 45 years and seized it,”he claimed.

When contacted, Honourable Dayyabu Adamu Rijiya said he was not part of the committee but was invited at the instance of the embattled District Head so as to settle the rift between him and those who wrote the petition against him. He said that he was informed by the members of the committee that when the embattled District Head was invited last Friday, several evidences including tape recordings of the various allegations by the people of Rijiya District were shown to the traditional ruler.

The lawmaker added that, at the sitting on Tuesday neither he nor the traditional ruler said anything regarding each other and after the session only for the embattled District Head to come back few minutes later into the committee room, where he and the other lawmakers were sitting, looking very dirty and said he had been beaten by some hoodlums led by one Garba Mai-lena.

“We called the security personnel at the assembly complex which included the police, SSS and others but they said when the embattled District Head came out of the committee room , he was boasting that those against him could not do anything ,this statement made Garba Mai-lena to attack him but in the process the District Head fell,” he said.

Aminu Danjibga who chaired the Tuesday’s committee sitting, maintained that he only acted as the chairman as Dayyabu Adamu was the substantive chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, saying they only invited the District Head to clear allegation brought by people against the traditional ruler.

“We were still sitting and deliberating on when next to have another sitting when the District Head came back and said he had been beaten by one of the people who brought complaint against him. We don’t know what the police are doing about the case but we as members of the committee will continue with our assignment,” he maintained.

The Speaker, Sanusi Garba Rikiji who spoke through the Public Relations Officer [PRO] of the House, Nasir Biyabiki said the committee had yet to submit its report and that he had yet to receive formal report on the attack on the traditional ruler.

Zamfara State Command, Police Public Relations Officer [PPRO] Haruna Abdulmalik [DSP], declined comment.

Investigation however shows that the governor, AbdulAziz Abubakar Yari had sent the Commissioners for Health and Special Duties to visit the embattled District Head in the hospital.

A source also said the state commissioner of Police, Usman Akila Gwary had also visited the sarkin Rijiya.

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