Bogoro crisis: Dass youths protest assault on emir

Following Friday’s invasion on the convoys of the Emirs of Bauchi and Dass on their way to Bogoro to observe the 21st memorial anniversary of Sayawa nation crusader, Baba Peter Gonto, youths from Dass on Saturday demonstrated to protest the ill-treatment of their Emir, Usman Bilyaminu Othman, by irate youths.

Odogwublog recalls that unrest surged during the memorial anniversary in Bogoro, leading to the demolition of property worth millions of naira as well as the burning of buildings of some distinguished individuals in the area.

The demonstrating youth blocked the ever-busy Dass-Tafawa Balewa highway, preventing people to go or come out from both Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Areas to retaliate the attack on their Emir’s convoy.

Odogwublog gathered that vehicular movement was paralysed as a result of the demonstration, while the angry youth refused to listen to entreaties by prominent individuals from Dass, the headquarters of Dass LGA.

As tension rose high with the youth being adamant, the Emir, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman, had to intervene, as the traditional ruler went to meet the demonstrators to pacify them to allow peace to reign.

It was learnt that Alhaji Othman, while addressing the angry youth, condemned the attack on his convoy, which led to the destruction of his official vehicle by the irate youth in Tafawa Balewa on his way to Bogoro on Friday.

According to the royal father, despite the attack on him, the youth of his domain should not take the law into their hands, saying that they should rather allow security agencies to fish out the perpetrators.

Othman declared that Dass Local Government Area was a home of peace and as such people in the area, including the demonstrating youths, to maintain the existing peace in the area, reminding them that they were always lovers of peace who could not be easily provoked no matter what.

He submitted that as a father of all, he would not allow any selfish individuals to destroy the foundation of peace that was laid by past leaders of the area.

The Emir seize the opportunity to commend the state governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Muhammed, for his commitment to peace in the state and promised to continuously support the governor in achieving peace not only in Dass but also in the entire state.

He, however, appealed to the people in his domain to go about their normal businesses without any fear of attack from anybody, warning anyone planning to foment trouble in his domain to steer clear of the area.