Ex-senator demands prosecution of associate’s killer

A former senator from Zamfara State, Kabiru Marafa, has demanded immediate arrest and prosecution of the person responsible for the death of his close associate, Magaji Lawali.

Mr Lawali, a former staffer of Yandoto Emirate Council of Zamfara State, was allegedly murdered in February by members of the Community Protection Group (CPG), the state-owned security outfit.

The outfit arrested him over his alleged ties to terrorists, especially Ado Aleru, a notorious bandit before he died in detention.

The State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Dalijan, recently confirmed that the commander of the local security outfit, Rabi’u Yandoto, was responsible for the death of Mr Lawali.

In a statement on Sunday, Mr Marafa, who represented Zamfara Central Senatorial District in the Senate between 2011 and 2019, commended the state police command for the thorough investigation into the murder case.

He demanded the immediate prosecution of the commander of the local security outfit in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian constitution.

“I wish to commend the police commissioner for the thorough investigation that has confirmed what the people of the community said about the killing of my associates.

“As I said previously, the dismissed army officer took the appointment as CPG commander to kill my associates. This is because Yandoto ordered his partners in crime to arrest my associate the very day the Zamfara State Government announced his appointment, and he killed Magaji Lawali personally, as confirmed by the police commissioner, the same day.

“There’s no need for any further delay in the prosecution of the killer of my associate. The killer should be charged in court and be prosecuted in line with the gravity of the offence he committed. His offence is weightier than that of bandits because he hid under the guise of safeguarding our people to kill my associate,” Mr Marafa said.

This is the second time that CPG will be accused of unjustly killing suspects.

Governor Dauda Lawal recently formed the outfit to help conventional security agencies fight terrorism in the state.

In March, it was accused of murdering an Islamic scholar, Abubakar Hassan, while he was in the CPG’s custody.

Mr Marafa condemned the incessant killings and urged the police and other security agencies in the state to find out the reasons behind the unjust killings carried out by members of the security outfit.